


The Parent Trap

by MisguidedFeelingsofaDreamWeaver30



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff, Gen, Some angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2019-06-29 17:26:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15734055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisguidedFeelingsofaDreamWeaver30/pseuds/MisguidedFeelingsofaDreamWeaver30
Summary: "Wait a minute, you're not pulling another setup on us are you?" Everyone knows that you and Bucky were right for each other. No matter what happened, it would always be the two of you.Inspired by the Lindsay Lohan version of "The Parent Trap".





	1. The Setup

**Author's Note:**

> So, I decided to start a new WIP. This will also be my first long fic on AO3! So, this will feature my Marvel OTP: Romanogers! And of course, one of my favorites, James Buchanan Barnes! Enjoy the story! 
> 
> Feel free to leave any comments that will help me improve. Thanks!

“A trip?”

“Yes.”

“To your beach house?”

“Uh huh.”

“Why?”                                                                               

“Would you believe me if I told you that it was from the goodness of my heart?” Tony says, only for Natasha to raise an eyebrow, daring him to lie to her.

“Come on! Picture this Red: all of us, together under one roof, with a gorgeous, private beach and some clubs in the vicinity.” Tony spreads his hands out as if painting the scene before her eyes.

“What’s the catch, Stark?” Natasha questions her longtime friend, though it would be a billion years before she ever bestowed that title on Tony.

“Make sure you bring Y/N with you.”

“Why?”

“I did say everyone was going.” Natasha’s eyes widened, catching on to Tony’s plan.

“Including—”

“Yes. Including the one and only James Buchanan Barnes.” Natasha’s mouth curves into her signature smirk, a plan already forming in her head.

“Stark, you’re a genius,” she remarks before walking away, leaving a shocked Tony wondering if there was anything underlying in that compliment.

Natasha leaves his apartment, climbing a few stairwells before she reaches a worn door with a brass 10 on it. She unlocks it and it swings open to reveal a modest apartment with dark wooden floors, brick walls, and a large bay window against the east wall complete with a seat.

In the middle of this apartment, you are seated on the sofa, surrounded by large piles of books as you type frantically at your laptop. Natasha walks up to you, slamming the laptop down and snapping you out of your trance.

“Huh, what…Nat! What was that for?” You rub at your eyes, blinking until your best friend since childhood comes into focus.

“It’s time to get off your ass and pack, Y/N. We’re going on a trip.” You groan at your friend’s words.

“No, Nat, I can’t I’ve got to finish this draft soon, or else I won’t get published. Plus, I have a lot of work to do!”

Natasha shakes her head at your obvious plea. “Y/N, you have until the end of the year to finish this.”

“So?”

“It’s late July! You’ve been working on that thing since June! You still have a lot of time! And I know work is just code for ‘I have reading to do’.” You pout at her words. It’s times like these you regret how well she knows you.

“What’s to look forward to about this trip anyway?” You lay your laptop aside, leaning in to listen.

“Tony’s beach house. Private getaway. Everyone is going to be there,” Natasha emphasizes everyone, throwing in a knowing look as well.

Your posture stiffens. “Everyone? As in…”

“Yes! Now, go to your room and get packing!” She tugs you up, and pushes you to your room, answering your stream of questions with vague answers. She made a mental note to ask Tony about the details as she pushed you into your room, slamming the door closed.

With that in mind, you lean against the door. “He’s coming home,” you whisper to yourself. “Oh God, he’s coming home.”

James Buchanan Barnes, or Bucky to his friends, had been a big part of your life for as long as you can remember. You had been friends all throughout childhood, but on your side, it had turned into a crush, before blossoming into full-grown love. You missed him terribly, especially since he and Steve had been drafted into the Army. Though you two talked occasionally, it wasn’t the same as seeing him face to face.

And with that thought in mind, you began to rifle through your closet, determined to make the best of this visit and hope that somehow, someway things might finally turn around for the two of you.

A week passed, and you soon found yourself with Natasha at the airport, bouncing lightly on the balls of your feet as you craned your head to get a glimpse of two heads of dark and blonde hair.

“Y/N, relax. Their flight hasn’t even arrived yet,” Natasha says, attempting to soothe her friend.

“Nat, I haven’t seen Bucky in months! Months! That’s the longest I’ve gone without him. I don’t know how you can be so calm; you haven’t seen Steve in the same amount of time.” A faint pink appears on Natasha’s cheeks, fading quickly as it comes, but not fast enough for you to miss it.

But rather than outright denying or confirming it, she merely glares at you, indicating that to talk further on the subject will result in dire consequences.

Soon, you hear the announcement of an incoming flight from Philadelphia, and your head swivels in the direction of the gates. To your delight, you see two men coming your way: one tall, blonde, and muscular & the other an inch shorter, dark-haired, and just as muscular. The latter’s eyes meet yours and his lips curve into a smile.

You two walk towards each other and as soon as you guys meet, you throw your arms around him, gripping him tightly to make sure that he’s real and he’s here and did he always smell this good…

“Hey, doll. I missed you,” he whispers in your ear, lifting you off the ground and spinning you slightly.

“Missed you too, Buck,” you admitted, giving him a light peck on the cheek. Tugging his hand, you bring him over to where Natasha and Steve are. You give Steve a hug, shooting Natasha a knowing look, which she parries with one of her own. And with that, the four of you make your way to the exit, piling into a car that carries you all off to Tony’s plane where you are greeted with a few familiar faces.

Clint rises from his seat, making his way to hug you then Natasha.

“Finally found time to see us?” Natasha teases, causing Clint to blush.

“How’s Laura doing?” you ask him, referring to his girlfriend of 2 years and a half.

“Doing great. And actually…” he leans in and whispers, “I’ve been thinking about, you know, popping the question.”

“That’s great!” You give him another hug before greeting the others on the plane.

“Y/N! It is so good to see you again!” booms the mighty voice of Thor. He picks you up, squeezing you until your ribs crack, a routine for the two of you since high school.

“Great. Thor. Can’t. Breathe,” you choke out, causing him to apologize and set you down. You massage your ribs, giving him a small smile showing that no harm had been done.

You then turn to greet the last person on the plane. “Bruce! How are you? How was India?”

“Hot. A lot of spices,” he comments. “But you should have seen it, Y/N. Millions of kids, little access to proper healthcare.” He shakes his head at the injustice.

“At least they’ve got you to help out, right?” You say, nudging him lightly. You two share a smile before sitting down and surveying the group of people that had been your good friends since high school. Or, in the case of Bucky, Natasha, and Steve, since preschool. You breathe a sigh of relief, hunkering down into your seat. Maybe Natasha is right. It would do you some good to get away for a while.

“This seat taken?” a voice beside you asks. You shoot a welcome smile at the owner, who plops down right beside you. You readily lay your head on Bucky’s shoulder and he slips an arm around you. The warmth radiating from him makes you hum in delight and soon, you find yourself drifting off peacefully into a long overdue sleep.

The sun begins its descent just as the plane descends on a lonely airstrip. Its occupants are woken from their various states of rest before piling into cars that take all of you to a large white two-story beach house with semicircle balconies jutting out and tall windows on the ground floor.

Inside was a room that functioned as both a living and dining room and a door that presumably led to the kitchen and stairs tucked in a corner, leading to the second floor. Sea themed knickknacks were placed on the tables and a large flat screen hung on the wall facing the sofas.

“Big enough to house twelve people. Everyone gets their own room. Kitchen’s that a-way. Get some rest because we’re going to a club tonight. Questions?” Tony announces. Thor raises his hand.

“Good. See you all at 6:30 sharp.” And with that, the billionaire goes off to the second floor of the house. You turn to the others, a question on your tongue at Tony’s suspicious behaviour; the man was never this organized. However, Bucky is the only one in the room who looks just as confused as you. The rest drift off to different parts of the house or to the beach, leaving you free for the rest of the afternoon. You while away the time unpacking in your room, laying out a floral dress for the occasion.

Soon, a knock sounds on your door, followed by the sound of Natasha calling, “Y/N? You ready?”

“Yeah! Hold on a second!” You place the finishing touches of your look before slipping your feet into some sandals. Natasha was a knockout, as always, in a black halter dress with a white flower in her hair.

She looks you up and down, tapping her lips. “Something’s missing.” She then whips the flower out of her hair and inserts it behind your ear. “There we go. That should sweep Barnes off his feet.”

You roll your eyes at her words but that does not stop the smile that creeps up your cheeks at the thought. With that, you and Natasha link arms, descending the staircase. As soon as you two hit the bottom landing, Tony gives a wolf whistle, to which Natasha merely flips him off. Steve greets both of you with a smile of approval, but his eyes shift to Natasha and it grows wider. Your gaze meets that of Bucky Barnes, whose grin is wide enough to rival Steve’s and whose eyes shine with admiration as you leave Natasha and make your way towards him.

“Y/N, you look incredible,” he breathes out and your cheeks grow warm.

“Thanks. You look handsome,” you admit, taking in the sight of him in a grey v neck and khakis and his hair pushed back. A slight blush appears on his cheeks, and you feel a twist of victory.

It isn’t long before the group reaches the beach club, the sound of “Copacabana” reaching your ears along with the smell of mango and pineapple. A dance floor is set up in the middle of the place, where Natasha immediately drags a blushing Steve much to the amusement of you and Bucky. Tony, Thor, and Bruce make a beeline for the bar while you and Bucky sit on some chairs set near the entrance, both of taking some time to soak it all in before joining in the fun.

However, it isn’t long before an enthusiastic Natasha pulls you onto the dance floor. You grab Bucky, not wanting him to be left out of the fun. Soon, you four are having a good time, bopping to the beat of whatever song comes on. Sometimes, Natasha would pull you this way and that, and those dances never failed to tire you out. Steve went at a more sedate pace and he let you lead a lot of the time, and you found his awkwardness adorable. Most of the time, it was spent with Bucky, who loved to twirl you around the dance floor, successfully garnering joyful laughs out of you.

Soon, the DJ announces that it’s time to take things slow. Natasha, who hasn’t broken a single sweat, says, “I think I’m going to sit this one out.”

“Oh, do you want me to join you?” You ask. She waves you off.

“Don’t worry about it. Steve owes me a drink.” She shoots a glance Steve’s way. His eyebrows furrow in confusion before he nods. “I’d better not be broke by the end of the night,” he warns the redhead.

“No promises,” Natasha teases. Your two friends join the rest over at the bar while Bucky takes your hand, bringing you a little further into the crowd.

A disco ball spins overhead, casting a soft shimmer at its surroundings. Bucky places his hand on your hip and you bite your lip shyly as you lay a hand on his shoulders. He brings you closer, so close that your foreheads touch. You lightly hum along to the song, and he closes his eyes, wanting nothing more than to be in this moment, something he had been dreaming about ever since he had left for the military. Coming back to you was returning home.

He spins you out, bringing you back into his arms. You bury your head in the crook of his shoulder, and this small gesture gives Bucky the courage he needs. “Y/N?”

“Yes, James?” You lift your head to meet his eyes, still swaying slowly to the beat.

“Can I kiss you?” He asks, ever the charming gentleman.

Your answering smile is bright enough to rival the stars in the sky. “I thought you’d never ask.”

 


	2. The Promise

The next morning found you on the balcony of Tony’s beach house, leaning against the railing as you soak up the sun’s rays. Your eyes fall to the beach, where you and Bucky had spent countless hours last night, walking as you talked and kissed. You close your eyes, reliving the memory of his lips on yours, your hand in his, and the things you talked about as you two stumbled back to the beach house.

The door behind you slides open and a pair of arms wrap around your waist. “Good morning, doll,” Bucky whispers in your ear before placing a kiss to the crown of your head.

“Morning,” you mumble back, laying your head on his chest as you two watch the waves rolling on the beach. “Can we just stay here forever? Like this?”

His chest vibrates as he chuckles at your request. “As much as I’d love to, the others are going to be waiting for us.”

“Screw them,” you complain, and he laughs again. “I’ve been hoping for this for so long. I just want stay in this moment for as long as I can.”

Bucky is surprised by your words. “How long have you been waiting?”

You shift in his arms so that you are facing him, slinging your arms around his neck. “Honestly, since we were maybe eleven?”

Bucky takes a step back at that. Your expression falters at this, and you try to backtrack. “Well, maybe not that long. It started as a crush and it took a long while before I fell in love with you. Oh God, I said that out loud didn’t I? What I mean to say was that I…”

But Bucky cuts you off with a firm kiss, and though you are taken by surprise, your eyes slide shut as you relax into it, your hands sliding over his shoulders as his gripped your waist. After a few presses to your lips, he breaks apart.

“I’m in love with you too. Sorry it took me a while to get there,” he apologizes with a shy, sheepish smile.

“That’s okay. We’re here now.” You intertwine your hands with his, and the two of you head down to breakfast with the team.

The minute you two reach the bottom of the stairs, you are greeted with cheers from everyone. Or rather, Tony’s shouting of “Finally!”, Bruce’s congratulatory smile as he claps for the two of you, Thor’s and Steve’s loud whoops, and Natasha’s acknowledging nod yet her shining eyes showed that she was happy the two of you finally got together.

Laughing at their reactions, you bury your head in Bucky’s shoulder, looking forward to what the rest of the week has in store for you.

And so, it passes by in one big, happy blur. You and Bucky spent much of it together, making up for lost time, as he liked to call it. “Buck, we’ve spent almost our whole life together,” you had reminded him one time as you two strode along the beach, watching the sunset.

“But it was different then. You waited such a long time, doll. I just want to make it worth your while,” he had replied, laying a kiss on your cheek.

Not only that, but there were also a bunch of things you and your friends did together. There had been a beach day, which ended with an all-out water fight in the ocean. There had been a hike to a gorgeous waterfall, which Steve had organized much to Tony’s chagrin. There had been bonfires, where a competition was held: who could eat the most s’mores (Thor had won that one). There had also been more explorations of the island. So many memories had been made, and you were sure nothing could top any of them.

On the last day, before the eight of you had to return to real life, you are woken up by Natasha, who has an uncharacteristically bright smile on her face. “Rise and shine, we’re having a girl’s day today.”

You give her a small smile, pushing yourself up and stretching wide. “Got tired of the testosterone?” You tease, bumping her shoulder with yours.

“Steve roped the boys into checking out some more of the island. They’ll be back at seven,” Natasha informs you. “Now come on.” She tugs you by the arm, and you raise an eyebrow at her energy, something she normally did not put on display but you simply comply.

After getting dressed, you and Natasha pile into a jeep that she had hired for the day. Later, you two arrive at the resort that held the club you spent your first day dancing at. There, both of you headed towards a spa, where Natasha announced that you guys were getting massages, facials, and makeovers.

You had never had a more relaxing time, moaning in pleasure as the kinks of your back were worked out by the masseuse.

“I take it you’re enjoying this,” Natasha teases, though she sounds like she’s on vibrate.

“Why didn’t we come here sooner?” You mumble loud enough for her to hear.

“Because you were so occupied with Barnes the last few days,” she reminds you. Unconsciously, a smile grows on your face. You were still afraid that this was still some dream your fantasy addled brain had conjured up, but it was so much better than that. It was finally real.

You had done so much together, but the only thing you two had not done was stay the night. Bucky was respectful enough not to rush you and you are thankful to him for that.

“How’s that been going, by the way?” Natasha asks, her voice normal once more.

“Amazing,” you breathe out, half in reminiscence at the memories and half in pleasure as your lower spine was unknotted. “Nat, can I tell you something?”

“You know you can tell me anything.” She props herself up on her elbows, the masseuses now having left you two alone.

“What Bucky and I have now, I don’t want that to end. I know it’s stupid to say it when I’m just starting out with him and everything, but we’ve known each other so long and I want to spend everyday like this.” Your cheeks heat up at your confession, and you peek through your lashes at Natasha, expecting her to knock some sense into you as usual.

Instead, you are surprised when Natasha says cryptically, “I don’t think I’m the one you should be telling that to.” And with that, she wraps the towel tighter around herself before heading out and you following.

The rest of the day is spent at the spa and later, at a little boutique the resort owned. There, you had chosen a few new dresses to take home with you. However, Natasha insisted that you try on this white halter strap dress that fell gently to your knees and exposed your upper back. Though a little surprised by her pick, after admiring yourself in the mirror, you fell in love with it.

The sun was just beginning to set in the sky when you two arrived at the resort. You were wearing one of your new dresses and were about to head out of the car when your phone buzzed. You pulled it out to read a text from Bucky.

_Sorry we didn’t get to spend the day together. Hopefully, I can make it up to you. Meet me on the balcony._

You raised your eyebrow at that, wondering what this man could possibly have in store for you. But it is overridden by the excitement of a surprise. You turn to Nat, making sure to use your best puppy dog eyes. “Nat…”

But she didn’t even let you finish your sentence before holding out a hand for your bags. You drop them in her hand, pressing a thank you kiss to the cheek before making your way inside. Unseen by you, Natasha’s phone rings. Answering it, Natasha says, “Don’t worry Barnes. She’s on her way.” She lowers her voice. “You’d better treat her the way she deserves.”

“Don’t worry Nat. Hopefully, after tonight, I’ll spend the rest of my life doing just that,” Bucky tells her, putting his phone away just as the door slides open to reveal you. Bucky’s breath hitches at the sight: the dress complements your figure very well with its color bringing out the shade of your eyes. Your smile is so bright that it makes him a little nervous, hoping that what he is about to do won’t take it away.

Meanwhile, you gasp in surprise at what is before you. Laid out on the ground is a small picnic basket with a bottle of red wine, two glasses, and two slices of cake. And sitting down on the ground, a lily in his hand, is Bucky Barnes with his eyes wide in appreciation at the sight of you.

“Wow, you…you look beautiful,” he admits. You smile shyly but you kneel and press a kiss to his lips letting him know his compliment was appreciated.

“Thanks Buck.” You then shift a little to the side and sit down opposite of him, graciously accepting the flower. You break off the stem, placing it in your hair. Taking a sip of wine, you ask him, “So, how was the island?”

“Huh?”

“Nat told me you guys took a trip to see more of the island,” you reminded him, a bit surprised that he forgot.

“Oh, it was beautiful. But not as beautiful as you,” he says, complete with a charming grin. You roll your eyes at him, but the blow is softened by your fond smile.

“I can’t believe it. I’m in love with a charmer,” you tease him.

“Get used to it, doll. I’ll be doing it for a long time.” Though it had meant to be playful, the words betrayed the sincerity of Bucky’s feelings for you. You squeeze his hand.

“I look forward to it.”

You and Bucky then proceed to while the time away talking and laughing as you both reminisced over the past week and talked about old childhood memories. It wasn’t long before your cake is finished and your wine is waiting to be consumed.

You take a sip, the bitterness burning your throat pleasantly, but something hard clacks against your teeth. Frowning in confusion, you dip two fingers into the wine glass, gasping when you discover a white ring studded with tiny shells.

You raise your eyes to look at Bucky, who is looking at you with an earnest expression. “James,” you breathe out, your jumbled feelings of shock and anticipation holding words back. Bucky gently takes the ring from you, before getting down on one knee.

“Y/N, we’ve spent most of our lives together and I want to continue doing it for the rest of my life. I want to spend my life with you, not just as my best friend but as the woman I fell in love with. So, Y/F/N Y/L/N, will you marry me?”

Your hand comes to cover your mouth, tears pouring from your eyes as you say, “Yes.” You nod fervently. “Yes!” you repeat, your voice ringing with happiness as Bucky slides the ring on your finger. You bring him closer to you, kissing him in gratitude.

“I love you so much,” you whisper against his lips.

He gives you another kiss before he says, “There’s actually something else.” Seeing you frown in confusion, he gently pulls you up, leading you towards the balcony to reveal your friends dressed up in different colored polos and slacks (or in the case of Natasha, a black dress that brushed her knees) standing at a makeshift altar, which had an arch consisting of red and yellow hibiscus. “What do you think?” he asks.

You gasp once more, turning to face him. “Bucky, this is…this is more than what I could’ve asked for. Thank you.”

And with that, you two head downstairs, where you are immediately greeted by everyone, giving you their congratulations. You hug each and everyone of them, before Natasha drags you off into the house to get changed. Over your shoulder, you throw Bucky an eager smile, which he returns with one of his own.

Inside, Natasha hands you the white dress that you had bought earlier. You slip it on and some white sandals before she touches up your hair and makeup, arranging the lily more securely in your hair. She then hands you a simple bouquet of hibiscuses that match the ones on the arch.

Meanwhile, outside, Bucky stands at the altar, Steve right by his side as always. “How you feeling?” Steve asks his best friend.

“Like I’m about to marry the woman I love,” Bucky replies with confidence. Steve claps a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“It’s about damn time.” Steve shakes him affectionately, causing Bucky to swat playfully at his friend.

Natasha presses a kiss to your forehead, mouthing ‘good luck’. She heads to the front door of the house, giving the thumbs up. Clint takes that as his queue to take out his phone, pressing play on the music they had chosen earlier.

Bucky straightens himself out, craning his neck for a glimpse of you. You shyly step out of the house, looking so radiant in your white dress that Bucky’s breath catches for a moment. All he can think is that this is it, this is actually happening, and that he is the luckiest man in the world.

As for you, you take a deep breath, placing your hand in the crook of Tony’s elbow. Tony then begins to lead you down the aisle to your soon-to-be-husband. Seeing Bucky standing there, looking at you like you’re the only one there, sets your heart aglow and it feels like you’re walking on air as you near him, your skin buzzing with anticipation as Tony presses a kiss to your cheek before handing you off to Bucky. You place your hands in each of his, facing each other as Bruce begins to speak.

“When people get married, they always say that they’re marrying their best friend. Today, we are here to witness such a union: that of Y/F/N Y/M/N Y/L/N and James Buchanan Barnes. I think all present here can say that this has been a long time coming.” Two simultaneous shouts of “Amen!” were heard from Tony and Clint, much to the amusement of all present. 

Bruce chuckles before continuing. “Now, it’s time for the vows. Do you have anything to say?”

Both you and Bucky nod. True, you did not have anything prepared, but there were many words on the tip of your tongue that needed to be said.

“Y/N, would you like to start?” You nod, your e/c eyes meeting Bucky’s blue ones, letting your nerves and the rest of the world melt away as you start.

“James, you along with Steve and Natasha were the first friends I ever made. Little did I know just how special you would become as our lives continued. You were first my best friend, then my crush, then the man that I fell in love with. I know that we’ve just started this relationship, but we’ve known each other so long and standing up here, with you and our friends, it feels so right.” A few sniffles are heard in the background.

“Y/N,” Bucky says, “I still can’t believe how long it took for me to get to this point. But standing here, right now, with you, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.” A chorus of ‘aw’ echoes from the audience.

“And now for the rings.” Steve and Natasha step forward, each with a ring in their hand, which you both take. One is a simple gold band and the other is a gold band with a small diamond in the center.

“Y/N, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” You state confidently, sliding the ring onto Bucky’s finger.

“James, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do.” Bucky slides the ring onto your finger, right over your engagement ring.

“So, with the power vested in me by an expedited registration, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may—”

But the rest of Bruce’s words are cut off as you pull Bucky towards you, sealing your vows with a kiss as sparklers erupted in the background (courtesy of Tony) accompanied by the cheers of all those around you, celebrating something that would last forever.


	3. The Hurricane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Birthing process, angst

You finish the words on the page, giving a sigh of relief as another chapter is finished. As you lay your laptop aside, your eyes fall to the ring, a smile unconsciously making a way to your lips as you recall yours and Bucky’s wedding. It grows bigger when you remember a piece of news you had delivered to Bucky about 7 months ago.

_You are pacing the floor with excitement coursing through your veins, eyes flitting to the laptop. Natasha and Tony had offered to stay with you for this, but you politely declined telling them that this was something for just you and Bucky. They had both wished you luck._

_Soon, you hear the familiar Skype ring. The laptop flies open as you accept the call. At once, the face of your handsome husband appears, his blue eyes shining as he takes you in._

_“Hey doll,” he says, happy to see your face once more._

_“Hey Buck. Did you get my package?” Your foot bounces impatiently. Bucky chuckles at your obvious impatience, before showing a small box wrapped in green wrapping paper. You had given him instructions not to open it till your next Skype call._

_“Yup. What’s in it?” he asked, shaking it to get an idea of its contents. “It’s pretty small. Could be a keychain. Or keys? Nah. What about a ring? Course we already have those…”_

_“Just open it already!” You scream, your anticipation getting the better of you. Bucky’s grin indicates he’s just teasing you as he tears into it. You watch as he opens it, eyes widening as he takes in its contents. Gingerly, he holds up a stick showing a plus. His eyes are wet with tears as he stammers out, “Y/N, are you…are you pregnant?”_

_You let out a laugh, your own eyes beginning to fill with tears. “Yeah. Yeah, I am. Surprise!”_

_Bucky lets out a short laugh, running his hands through his hair as the news sinks in. Pregnant! He was going to be a dad! “Bucky,” your voice breaks him out of his haze. “There’s more.”_

_Raising an eyebrow at that, he looks into the box once more and sees an ultrasound picture. As if already cradling his child, he takes it out of the box squinting at the little bean that was his baby._

_“Hi, I’m-I’m your dad,” he says, his emotions threatening to overtake him once more. However, he frowns as he notices something. There’s a gap in his little bean and not only that, but they were a bit bigger than he first noticed. Both of them._

_His eyes shoot to yours, the question leaving his lips as it does. “Y/N, how many babies are we having?”_

_You beam, a glow emanating from you as you tell him, “Two.”_

You sink into the couch cushions, rubbing your big belly as you feel the babies kick inside you. “Hi darlings, it’s your Mom.” After telling Bucky, the news immediately spread to your friends. Bruce had given you his congratulations, even emailing a list of vitamins to take for the babies. Natasha, naturally, had embraced you, begging to be their godmother. Of course, you said yes. This naturally led to Steve, Clint, Thor, and Tony arguing over who would get the honor of playing godfather. Bruce had backed out of his argument, but you suspected that it was a strategy to get you to choose him. Thankfully, there were two babies growing inside of you, so you just had to narrow it down to two.

Months passed, and you had found out that you were having girls, much to yours and Bucky’s delight. You and Bucky had spent a whole Skype call deciding on names, and you were excited to reveal them once the baby was born. He also told you that he had managed to secure time off to be there when the babies were born.

The phone rings, startling you. After laying a hand on your heart and stomach to calm yourself, you pick it up. “Hello?”

“Mrs. Barnes?” An unfamiliar female voice sounds from the other side.

“Yes?”

“We’re calling about your husband, James Buchanan Barnes. He’s with us right now in the hospital and you were listed as his emergency contact.”

“Why? What’s wrong?” You shoot up from your sitting position.

“We do not know the details, ma’am. Only that he was transferred here from the base,” the woman elaborates.

Dread pools into your stomach. Your hands search for something to steady you because you feel that you can collapse at any given moment.  _Not Bucky. Please not Bucky._

After getting details about the hospital, you phone Nat and Tony. You were going to need all the support you can get. 

* * *

 

The moment Tony’s car touches down in front of the hospital, the passenger door flies open and you hurry, or waddle, as fast as your condition could allow you. Natasha hurtles out after you as Tony shouts that he’ll meet you two later. You march inside and slam your hand on the front desk, startling the receptionist whose eyes were on his phone a moment ago.

“I’m here to see Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.” Your tone indicates that you are not to be messed with. Luckily, he takes a hint, telling you what room he’s in. You and Natasha hurry there, where you find Steve leaning against the wall. He breathes a sigh of relief as he sees you two approaching.

“How is he?” you ask as you hug the man.

Steve bites his lip, debating on what to tell you about Bucky. He settles for giving you one last squeeze, opening the door for you to see yourself. You give him a nod of thanks and squeeze Natasha’s hand, entering the room to find Bucky lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to a bunch of machines that steadily beeped in the silence of the room.

You sit beside his bed, your hand immediately finding his. You stroke his hair gently, watching the rise and fall of his chest to reassure yourself that he is still there with you. You hear a small groan and Bucky opens his eyes, immediately catching yours. A smile appears, but it is small and grim. “Hi doll.”

You let out a short laugh of relief, pressing a gentle kiss to Bucky’s nose. “Thank God,” you whisper, a few tears streaming down your face and splashing onto his. “What happened?” you croak out.

He doesn’t say anything, only moving away from you so you can take a better look at him. It is then you notice that not all of him made it back to you: where his left arm once was, remains a stub that barely extends past his left shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters. You shake your head at him, choosing instead to bring your lips to his, kissing him with all the love and passion you could muster. He can read your message loud and clear:  _I’m just glad you’re home._

Bucky goes to wrap his arms around you, but then the imbalance caused by his lost limb throws him off for a second and he feels the sadness spike up. He breaks the kiss, giving you a reassuring smile that barely reaches his eyes. 

* * *

 

Everything else happens in quick succession after that. Bucky is discharged from the hospital and soon, Steve has to return to base. Though Steve had said that he could extend his stay, Bucky had been quick to shoot that down. Bucky knew that Steve loved his job and he didn’t want to stand in his friend’s way. He also knew that Steve blamed himself for the loss of his arm. He didn’t want his best friend to feel his guilt every time they saw each other. It was best that they part ways for now.

As for domestic life, it was hard for Bucky to adjust, especially with just one arm. It was even harder when you were there, always hovering. You had the best intentions, but it was hard to understand where the two of you would go from here, especially with two new babies on the way.

But then the nightmares came. He dreaded closing his eyes because when he did he could still see the grey, cloudless sky as dust littered the air. He could still hear Steve’s screams for him as he clawed out of the rubble, desperate to show that he was still there. That he was still alive. He could still feel the regret and the shame that his daughters would come into the world and not know him or that you would have to go it alone in raising them. He had taken to sleeping on the couch, leaving you alone in your shared bed.

Though there is an eternal dark cloud hanging over your house, it dissipated for a moment: when the twins are born. You and Bucky are sitting silently on the couch, a gap between the two of you as you watch some cooking show. At that moment, a sharp pain erupts in your stomach, and you groan as something wet drips down your leg and onto the couch.

“Bucky.” You grip his shoulder tightly; a gasp of pain erupts from him.

“What?” he hisses out, irritation in his voice. But it fades as you say, “The babies are coming.” Bucky shoots up from his seat at your words, babbling a mile a minute as he searches for the things.

“Are you alright? How close are your contractions? Okay, doll, just stay calm, we’re going to get you to the hospital. WHERE’S THE DAMN BAG?” He rushes out of the room, hoisting you by the shoulders as he supports you. 

Before he can get lost, your voice anchors him. “Bucky,” you groan out as another contraction hits. He shakes his head before he ushers you out the door into the car. Unable to drive a car one-handed, he rushes out of the car, pounding on Tony’s door.

Grumbling is heard from inside the door and it opens to reveal a shirtless Tony and a dishevelled woman right behind him. “What is it, Barnes?” He groans, wiping his lips, which had some lipstick on them.

“Y/N’s having the babies,” Bucky tells him. Tony’s eyes widen, and he slams the door closed. Bucky taps his foot impatiently, eyes constantly flitting to the stairs. The door opens and out comes Tony, who is muttering incoherent assurances to his guest before closing the door and rushing with Bucky to where you are.

Meanwhile, you are groaning as the waves of pain continue, closer than they were earlier. You stifle a scream as the doors open. Tony is in the driver’s seat. “Keys!” he shouts frantically, which Bucky throws unceremoniously.

“How are you doing Y/N?” Tony asks as he starts the ignition.

“Oh, just peachy, I’M HAVING TWO FRIGGING BABIES! DRIVE!” Unwilling to upset you further, Tony complies, zooming down the roads like his life depended on it.

In a record amount of time, you three arrive at the hospital, where you are ushered into a delivery room. Bucky goes with you while Tony stays in the delivery room, phoning the rest of the group to come as soon as possible. It does not take long for Natasha to come bursting into the room followed closely by Clint and Laura. Minutes later, Thor comes in and Bruce not long after. They manage to get ahold of Steve via phone call as they wait for the glorious moment.

Meanwhile, in the delivery room, you ride out another wave of pain. “Buck.” Bucky immediately heads over to you, slipping his hand in yours. You squeeze it so hard that Bucky loses all feeling in his fingers.

“Careful, doll, it’s the only one I have left.” A smile plays on your lips as you see a little bit of the old Bucky shine through. But the satisfaction is short lived as the contraction hits once more. This time, you don’t hold back and let out a scream.

“How much longer?” you ask through gritted teeth.

“Your cervix is at 8 cm. Just give it some time,” one of the doctors reassure you. You manage a nod as Bucky places a kiss on your head.

Soon, the doctors give you the okay to push and you do so, squeezing every ounce of effort you can into bringing your babies out into this world. “I see the head!” the doctor shouts. “Keep going.”

You grunt and give another push. “Come on doll,” Bucky tells you. “Soon we’ll get to meet our girls.”

One more push and the cry of a baby is heard. “Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Barnes. It’s a girl.” The doctor wraps up the baby in a little blanket, showing her off to the proud parents. Bucky laughs, his eyes wet with tears as he gazes at her. “She’s beautiful,” he says. They take her away to get cleaned and soon, you feel the need to push again.

You cry out as you bring your next daughter into the world. You smile, a sense of pride as you stared at her. How you and Bucky created two such beautiful beings blew your mind. “We did it Buck,” you whispered as you looked into his blue eyes.

“That we did.” He presses a kiss to your lips.

It isn’t long before you are taken back into your room and your daughters are brought to you. The nurse gently lays the babies in your arms. He offers to help Bucky hold them, but he declines. You turn to see the sadness in his eyes, but you are determined to banish it.

“Would you like to hold her?” You ask, holding one of them up for him.

Bucky shakes his head. “I…I don’t want to hurt her.”

“You won’t. Here, hold your arm like this.” You set the babies in your lap as you adjust his arm. Satisfied, you take one of the babies and gently lay it in his arm, the head on the crook of his elbow and her body nestled in his hand. Bucky takes a seat beside you, hoping that this will lessen the chance of him dropping her. He looks at the little girl in his arm and at the one in your arms.

In that moment, it hit him. You are not the only girl in his life any more. He had two new ones who meant just as much to him, and he would do whatever he could to make sure they got the best of life. There was just one problem. “How are we going to tell them apart?”

“They need names first.” You and Bucky had decided to name one daughter each. Bucky looks down at the girl in his arms and it comes to him. “Rebecca. Or Becky, for short.”

You smile. “Hi Rebecca,” you coo, sliding off your wedding ring and giving it to Bucky. Bucky slips it on her little finger.

You look down at the baby in your arms, and the name you had chosen long ago rose to your lips. “Y/D/N.”

“Y/D/N. It’s beautiful. Just like her.” You slip your engagement ring on her. You and Bucky exchange babies, cooing over them for a little while longer before you let the others in. The door opens to reveal big, multicoloured stuffed toys courtesy of Thor and Tony along with flowers from Bruce and balloons with the words 'CONGRATULATIONS, IT’S A GIRL!' from Clint & Laura.

Thor immediately melts into a puddle as he gazes at the babies. “They are so tiny,” he says, moderating his normally booming voice.

“They’re beautiful,” Natasha chokes out, tears in her eyes. Laura and Clint squeeze each other’s hands as they gaze upon the babies.

“Congrats, you two,” a choked up, masculine voice sound from the phone. A pang of sadness hits you and Bucky at his absence, but they are glad that Steve could be with them like this at the very least.

“So, what’d you name the little squirts?” Tony asks, trying not to groan under the weight of the stuffed toys.

“This is Rebecca. Or Becky, for short.” You raise the baby in your arms.

“And this is Y/D/N,” Bucky announces proudly, laying a kiss on her head.

“Now, onto the more important questions, who did you guys choose as the godparents?” Clint asks, earning an elbow from Laura and Natasha. However, you chuckle, locking eyes with Bucky as you announce the choice.

“Well, it was obvious from the start. Nat, meet your goddaughters.” A few tears slipped down Natasha’s cheeks as she takes them in her arms. “Hey guys,” she whispers gently to the babies. The sight of your normally unflappable best friend crying is something to behold.

“For the godfather, Y/N and I thought it would be best if we chose two,” Bucky says.

“And who are they?” Tony asks.

“Obviously, Steve’s one of them,” Bucky points out and a cheer erupts from the phone causing you to laugh.

“And the other?” Clint asks, leaning in as the others do to hear the answers.

You smile. “Tony.”

“YES! Pay up bitches!” Tony shouts. The babies start to cry, and everyone shoots a dismayed look at the billionaire. The babies are returned to you and Bucky, who immediately soothes them. Once the crying has quieted down, everyone files out of the room, leaving the stuffed toys as they call out congratulations. You pick up the sound of bills exchanged as the door closes.

In that moment, you are with your beautiful daughters and the man you love. Everything was perfect.

* * *

 

Three months later, and you are lying in bed. You are glad for this reprieve, as you had been hard at work with your manuscript, not to mention your day job as a teacher is draining. You are content to just lay down, and just enjoy the peace and quiet for now.

But all that is shot to hell when you hear crying over the baby monitor. You groan slightly, rubbing your eyes as you get up from bed. You pad your way towards the nursery, only to find Bucky heading the same way. “Doll, let me handle it.”

But you shake your head. “Don’t worry about it Buck, I got it.”

He shakes his head emphatically. “Y/N, you’re exhausted, you need to rest.”

“I can’t, Bucky. Not until they’re alright.”

“Then why don’t you let me handle it?” He asks, coming to stand in front of you.

“You don’t need to do that, Buck. You’ve been with them all day. I can do it.” The truth is, you don’t want to let him handle it. Though Bucky did his best to hide it from you, you could see the dark bags under his eyes, and how his shoulders drooped with exhaustion. One night, you had woken up to find him hovering over your daughters’ cribs, not budging when you tried to get him back to sleep.

“Y/N, please let me do this,” he begs, but it is hidden by the steel in his voice. The room suddenly feels very cold as the crying doubles. Now both your girls are awake.

“James, I can handle this. Just go back to bed.” You stand to go, but Bucky still keeps a tight grip on your hand. It’s not one that hurts, but it’s enough to keep you where you are.

“I can’t, Y/N.” This time, you hear the vulnerability in his voice.

“Why, Bucky? You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You need rest. Please, what’s wrong?”  

Bucky wants to tell you, he really does. But he can’t. He already knows how stressed you are, having to do most of the providing. You had spent so much energy not only in your job as a teacher but also on your book and caring for him as well as the twins. He couldn’t tell you about the nightmares. Or how he struggled to take care of their little girls with just one arm. He couldn’t do that to you. He couldn’t be a burden. “Nothing.”

The dismissive tone of this voice does nothing to you. You prod further. “It isn't nothing. Bucky, don’t you think I don’t notice? You never sleep and you’ve been distant ever since you came home. Just please, tell me what’s going on. Tell me so I can help you.”

Bucky shakes his head. “For what I’ve got, there’s no help.”

“Bucky, you can’t keep hurting yourself,” you say, anger seeping into your tone.

“Neither can you, Y/N!” he says, raising his voice. The crying increases in volume and frequency but neither of you notice.

“Well, I have to, if someone’s going to provide for this family,” you retort, not realizing the effect your words have on Bucky. His eyes widen in hurt, and his blue eyes turn to ice.

“Don’t you think I want to help? Don’t you think I’d rather be out fighting than stuck in here, useless, because of this?” He points at his stub for emphasis.

“Maybe you could get some help if you didn’t stay stuck in the house every damn day!”

“If you don’t want me stuck in the house every damn day, then maybe I should leave!”

“You know what, maybe you should! It’s enough I have to take care of two babies, I don’t need to take care of three,” you hiss venomously, pushing past him into the nursery and slamming the door with finality.

Only when the door closes do you let out a sob as you slide to the floor, your daughters’ cries loud in your ears. You cry as you let out all the hurt not only Bucky but also you have caused. You love Bucky and you know he loves you, but it hurt knowing that it gave you the power to hurt each other so deeply.

You couldn’t keep doing this to each other. At that moment, you know what you have to do. You have to leave.  

 


	4. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you are! I'm trying to establish the personalities of Rebecca and Y/D/N, so hopefully, it'll become clearer as the series progresses. This is just a cornerstone. Otherwise, enjoy the chapter.

When the divorce had become a reality, your friends had done everything to stop the two of you from doing this. “Y/N, what happened to spending forever with him?” Natasha asked you as you had been cleaning out your closet. 

“Nat, I can’t spend forever with him if we’re just going to make each other miserable.” You threw another dress on the pile.

“Have you tried to do more?” She asked, grabbing your dress to put it back in the closet along with a few more articles of clothing. “What about Y/D/N? Rebecca? Couldn’t you at least try for their sake?”

“This is for their sakes! I don’t want my daughters growing up in a house where they have a father who barely communicates and me who’s too exhausted to even care about them.”

“Their sake? Or yours?” You ignored her in favor of taking the dress out again. You knew the answer to the question, but you dared not voice it out loud.

In another part of town, Bucky was in a telephone booth, the phone inches away from his ear as Steve shouted into it. “Buck, why are you doing this? What happened to I’m marrying the woman I love?” He says, throwing Bucky’s wedding day words back at him.

“Steve, have you considered that maybe I was doing this for her sake?” Bucky rubs his eyes, trying to overcome the exhaustion.

“How is can this split be good for her?”

“Steve, Y/N deserves more than a jobless, one-armed husband who can’t even hold both of his daughters. I don’t want to do that to her. I can’t drag her down.”

“And what about the twins? What about Y/D/N and Rebecca?”

Bucky sighs. “My girls don’t deserve to live in a home like this. This is better for everyone.”

“For everyone? Or for you Buck?”

You had taken to staying at Tony’s apartment with Bucky having nowhere else to go. Bit by bit, it started to fill up with your stuff and eventually, Rebecca’s belongings. Tony helped you look for a place to live, and you finally settled on a small house in Malibu, which Tony insisted on renting out to you.

“Tony, I can’t ask you—” But he cut you off with a raised hand.

“I can’t exactly have my goddaughter sleeping on the streets now, can I?” But you catch the hidden sentiment in his statement, and you thank him for it.

Eventually, you and Bucky finalize the divorce. The apartment is clean of all your stuff. As for you and Bucky, you preferred not to think of the last goodbye. Especially what happened after.

Soon, you and Rebecca are off to Malibu while Bucky and Y/D/N remain in New York. Natasha had opted to go with you. “Nat, you can’t do that,” you tell her, hugging Becky to your chest as you entered the car that you would take to the airport.

But Nat shakes her head. “You can’t do this alone.” But that did not stop the guilt from flooding into your system at taking her away from everything. As for Tony, he told you he could easily conduct his business in Malibu. 

As for Bucky, he is back in the empty apartment, hating that one single place could contain many memories of you and him. He sunk into the bay window, trying hard not to let the tears come into his eyes. It takes all his effort not to focus on his last memory of you nor the guilt that enters his system on how things ended.

Cries echoed throughout the apartment, bringing him out of his miserable reverie. Y/D/N is kicking up a storm, crying for whatever reason Bucky had yet to decipher. Probably the same reason as his. He goes over, picking her up in her little carrier, and bringing her to the counter. A knock sounds on his door, and he opens it and is surprised to find Steve with a large bag on the other side.

“Steve? What are you doing here?” Bucky croaks out.

“I came for you.”

“What about the squad? You know you can’t just pick up and leave.”

“Dugan can take over for them. And I’m not picking up and leaving. I’m staying here. My pal needs me.”

“Steve, I don’t need your pity.” Bucky begins to shut the door, but Steve stops him.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” And before he can even get two words out, Steve strides into the room, dropping his bag with a thump of finality. Till now, Y/D/N’s cries have not increased, only getting louder and louder. Steve picks her up, cradling her as gently as he can. However, he maintains a firm hold due to her kicking putting her at risk of falling.

“Steve, I’m not worth all this trouble,” Bucky tells him. An incredulous look spreads over Steve’s face at Bucky’s words.

“Don’t think that.” He looks down in shame. “Not when this is my fault.”

A growl erupts from Bucky’s throat, startling him. “God, Steve, this isn’t your damn fault! Alright, it’s mine!”

“But—”

“But nothing Steve! It was my choice to go in there in the first place! The bomb that went off had nothing to do with you! My arm’s gone because of me! So, stop beating yourself up about it or try to do this as a way of removing that guilt!”

Steve shakes his head at Bucky, setting Y/D/N down. He goes over to his friend, placing an arm around his shoulder just like they had done many times when they were kids. Bucky flinches at the contact, but he makes no move to shake it off.

“You ought to take your advice, you know. And Buck, I’m not here because I feel guilty. You shouldn’t be alone at a time like this.”

Bucky, despite everything screaming within him to push Steve away, he accepts. He barely had anybody else in his life at this point. He needs someone who’s going to keep him sane and who’s going to stay. Even if that person isn’t you.

And so, the years pass as you and Bucky lead separate lives. Besides Steve, Clint and Laura drop by occasionally, helping Bucky out with taking care of Y/D/N. Steve had relocated to a base in New York, where he trained the troops, and so he could help Bucky out. Those first months, Bucky opted to stay in, focusing on Y/D/N with the occasional TV binge. After being unable to stand his friend’s moping any longer, Steve called in some help in the form of Sam Wilson, a veteran who had some experience dealing with PTSD.

He had been a big help in getting Bucky out of bed. “I thought therapy’s supposed to make you feel better,” Bucky muttered at a glowering Wilson.

“You ain’t gonna get better if you’re stuck inside all day,” Sam had retorted.

Bit by bit, Bucky began to reintegrate himself into society. He even began to search for a job, but not many were willing to hire a one-armed Army veteran.

It changed when Sam had invited Steve and Bucky to a gathering for disabled Army vets. At the same day, someone had decided to target the party. With gunshots ringing around him, Bucky did his best to shut out the sounds, pushing down the closest civilian to him: a dark-skinned, able-bodied man. It turned out that man was T’Challa Udaku, philanthropist CEO of Wakanda Inc., a company for technology and private security. He offered Bucky a job as well as a new arm. Surprised but happy at this turn of events, he accepted.

Since his business took him away from Y/D/N, he had to hire some help. He found a nanny for his little girl, a woman named Wanda. She was good at reading Y/D/N’s needs, making sure she had her bottle filled, or her diaper changed. Not only that, but she helped around the house when she could, making sure it was clean and that Bucky had something to eat whenever he came back from a difficult time on the job. He was thankful to her for that. Sometimes, her brother Pietro would be present. He loved to play with Y/D/N, which usually came in the form of tickles, stomach blowing and baby flying, much to Bucky’s worry.  

Thor still visited at times, thanks to Steve always inviting him over. He turned out to be a good babysitter, having the ability to spoil Y/D/N rotten. Sam swore that there wasn’t a nursery as full of stuffed animals as Y/D/N’s was.

As for you, you quickly adapted to your new life in Malibu. You had to juggle searching for a job, writing your manuscript, and looking after your daughter. With no prospects on the horizon, you had thrown yourself into your writing, finishing it a month earlier than planned. After some time, you publish your book. Though you weren’t as famous as J.K. Rowling, your earnings were enough for you to support your daughter. You had also gained a three-book deal, which meant you could pursue your writing career.

However, as sometimes your career meant you had to go to different places for book signings, you had decided to look for some help. Through Tony, you had met the son of his former butler Jarvis. His name was Paul, but he gained the nickname Vision, as he seemed to know just when Rebecca was hungry, sick, or upset when she cried.

After staying with you the first year, Natasha had moved out after taking on a job as a ballet and self-defense instructor.

As for Tony, he was in charge of breaking you out of your hermit phase, introducing you to his circle of friends. Out of all of them, the only ones you genuinely liked were Pepper Potts and James Rhodes. James Rhodes wasn’t pushy like most men, he was accommodating, and he was amusing in that dry, sarcastic sort of way much like Tony. You and Pepper shared a mutual respect for each other as you were both women trying to navigate a patriarchal world. Besides gaining two new friends through Tony, you also met his son, who had been conceived the night you gave birth. Peter Parker Stark was a welcome addition to Rebecca’s life. He always loved to include her in his games, even teaching her how to build with blocks and Legos.

Bruce also checked up once in a while, courtesy of Tony missing his science bro. Rebecca had taken a fondness to him, which manifested on drooling on his shirt more times than the man could handle. Still, she never failed to put a smile on his face.

Both you and Bucky had your own families, and it was good. But there were days when you would find yourself staring at the phone the same way Bucky would look at his computer. Both of you had contemplated the thought of at least trying to establish a communicative relationship, but life got in the way. Your daughters, your jobs, even thoughts of the other. Though you two remain separate, you still hope that the other is doing alright. In a way, both of you kept the distance because you did not want to impede the other’s progress.

* * *

 

“Mom, have you seen my socks?” A voice calls, interrupting your typing. Blinking as if you have been awoken from your slumber, you slam the laptop closed and head upstairs.

“Honey, did you check the dresser?”

“Yes?”

“Under the dresser?”

“Yes!”

“What about downstairs?”

A gasp of realization escapes, and you see a head of black hair dart past you and down the stairs, almost knocking down a poor Vision, who is holding the laundry.

“Miss Rebecca, I would kindly advise for you to slow down. Otherwise, you will not find what you are looking for,” he says calmly.

“Sorry, Vis. But I leave for summer camp tomorrow!”

“Which is why I have done the laundry. You will see that everything is there. Including your socks.” On cue, he hands her the laundry basket with neatly folded clothes in it. Rebecca thanks Vision before hurrying up to her room.

“I don’t know what we’d do without you, Vision.” You give him a grateful smile that he returns. The doorbell rings and you open it to reveal Tony, Pepper, and Peter. Tony is dressed to the nines, despite this being a small family dinner while Pepper and Peter opted for more casual looks. Peter smiles, proceeding to give you a hug.

“Hey Auntie Y/N,” he says, giving you a hug. You reciprocate, before going over to hug Pepper and Tony.

“Glad you two could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Pepper replies with her megawatt smile.

“It’s not every day your favorite goddaughter heads off to summer camp,” says Tony.

“I’m your only goddaughter, Uncle Tony,” Rebecca retorts. Tony sweeps her into a hug, making sure to give her a nougie for good measure, much to her chagrin as she tries to push him off.

The doorbell rings once again, and you open it to reveal Natasha and Rhodey.

“Hey, Nat.” You embrace her.

“How are you doing? Shedding any tears or jumping for joy?” She teases you.

You chuckle. “I’ll save that for when Becky's already out of the house.”

“Which one?”

“We’ll just have to see.”

As for Rhodey, he hands you a bottle of wine before going in for a hug. “Thanks, Rhodey, I’m gonna be needing this if I’m going to get through the summer.”

“Make sure to save some for the rest of us,” he jokes before the three of you head to the dining room where the others have assembled for dinner.

Soon, the table is filled with laughter and chatter, most of it focused on Rebecca’s first time away from home.

“So, what’s it like? Do you have any idea?” Rebecca asks Peter, who had actually told you about the summer camp. Apparently, he had gotten it from an online friend. Tony had verified it, saying that it was legitimate, much to your relief.

“Apparently, you get to do a lot of cool stuff there. You know, crafts, sports, camping. That kind of stuff.”

Rebecca, smiling at Peter's words, frowns in sadness. “I wish you were coming with me,” she murmured. It would have been nice to have a familiar face there.

Peter wraps an arm around her, side hugging her before suggesting, “Wanna build the Millennium Falcon? You know, for old times sake?”

Rebecca rolls her eyes, but she had gotten used to his love of Star Wars by now. “Sure.”

As for you, you talk with Nat and Tony, catching up on their lives. Nat’s been doing so well in her classes, that she’s actually considering opening up her own studio. As for Tony, he had been considering proposing to Pepper. You were happy for your two friends, and not only that but you were thankful to all that they had done for you over the years. They deserved a little bit of happiness.

After the dinner had been cleared, and the guests had been sent away, you bade Vision good night before heading upstairs to Rebecca’s room. There, you found your girl taking a few swings at a punching bag she had insisted on putting in her room. You watched her as she transitioned from boxing to kicking, her legs sweeping in a graceful arc before landing a satisfying thump on the bag.

“You’re gonna need to get some sleep if you want to catch the bus.” Rebecca does not jump in surprise but turns her blue eyes on you, pleading for a few minutes longer.

“No.” Huffing in disappointment, she acquiesces to your request. When she settles into her bed, you sit down on the side of her bed, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Good night my darling.”

Her lips curve into a smile. “Good night mom.”

When you leave the room, Rebecca digs under her pillow. She pulls out a crumpled picture with a torn edge. In the photo are a group of people she had never met before, but her focus is on a man in the middle. A man with blue eyes and dark hair, just like hers.

“Sweet dreams, dad.” Pressing a kiss to it, she goes to sleep.

* * *

 

On the other side of the country, another girl is going over her checklist one more time. Anything to soothe the anxieties ratcheting their way through her brain. After making sure that her socks are in place, she zips her suitcase closed, breathing a sigh of relief.

A knock on the door sounds. “Come in!” Y/D/N calls. The door opens to reveal Bucky, his metal arm glinting in the light of the room as he regards his daughter.

“All set sweetheart?” he asks. Y/D/N nods, smoothing her hands over her jeans. Bucky smiles, despite everything in him screaming that this is a bad idea. After all, this is Y/D/N spending more than one night outside of the house, but when T’Challa had mentioned the summer camp Wakanda that he was opening up, Sam and Steve convinced him that it would be a good idea for Y/D/N to attend. But looking at the crease in her eyebrows and the way she continuously wiped the palm of her hands on her jeans, he was starting to reconsider.

He sits beside her on the bed, wrapping his prosthetic arm around her. She curls into his side as he gently strokes her hair. “What if the others don’t like me?” Y/D/N whispers, causing a sad smile to pull on Bucky’s lips.

“Why would they think that? You’re amazing, sweetheart.”

“You have to say that. You’re my dad,” She mutters, garnering a dry chuckle from him.

“It won’t be so bad,” Bucky tells her, though he is unsure if he’s trying to reassure himself or his daughter. “Remember, the Bartons are coming along. So is Cassie,” he reminds her. Y/D/N perks up a little at this, already feeling some of the anxiety leave her system.

“You’ll write to me, won’t you?”

“Every day, sweetheart, if that’s what you want.”

Y/D/N wrinkles her nose at that. As much as she loves her dad, it would be embarrassing for her to seem so dependent on him. “Not every day. Three times a week, if possible.”

“Sure thing.” He plants a kiss on her forehead. “So, what do you want for your last night here?”

“Movie night?” Y/D/N asks shyly, peering up at him with pleading eyes.

“You got it.”

It didn’t take long for them to assemble as soon as Bucky sent the text. Luckily for Wanda, she was already in the house, so she had elected to order the food.

“The usual?” She asks Y/D/N who is seated on the kitchen counter. She nods eagerly, and Wanda giggles at her eagerness as she makes the call. It isn’t long before the doorbell rings, and Y/D/N hops off the stool, opening it to reveal a familiar man with platinum blonde hair, holding ten boxes of pizza.

“Time?” he asks Y/D/N.

“6.5 minutes,” Y/D/N says proudly. Pietro punches the air in victory while still maintaining a steady hand on the pizzas.

“Fastest time delivering pizza is not something to be excited about,” Wanda chides her brother as she takes half of them from him.

“You’re just jealous,” Pietro retorts, slamming the door behind him as he carries the rest of the boxes in, Y/D/N trailing behind him.

“Why would I be jealous of the man who looks like a walking traffic cone?” is Wanda’s snarky reply, referring to Pietro’s garish orange polo complete with a silver visor with a “Hi, I’m…” name tag pinned to the top.

Bucky heads into the room, his hair wet from the shower. He takes the boxes from Wanda, setting them on the table as Y/D/N goes to fetch the plates. The doorbell rings once more, and it opens to reveal the Barton family, who immediately greets everyone with hugs (Clint and Cooper) or kisses (Laura, Lila, and Nathaniel).

Cooper, Y/D/N, and Lila cluster together, immediately talking excitedly about the things they looked forward to at camp.

“I heard there’s a shooting range. Dad’s been helping me practice all summer,” Cooper talks, pride and excitement evident in his tone.

“Y/D/N, did you hear? They have arts and crafts! I promised Mommy I’d make her a necklace,” Lila piped up.

The doorbell goes off again, and Bucky opens it to reveal a man with dark hair and bright, blue eyes followed by a girl with equally dark hair and brown eyes. Y/D/N’s eyes light up at the sight. “Y/D/N!” the girl squeals, glomping onto her best friend.

“Cassie!” Y/D/N squeezes her best friend back with as much enthusiasm.

“Nice to see you made it, Lang,” Bucky says, shaking the man’s hand.

“Barnes. Good to see you too,” Scott greets before he heads over to Clint.

The sound of keys jingling is heard and the door swings open. Two men enter: one tall and blonde, the other short and brunette. Y/D/N lets out an excited gasp.

“Uncle Steve! Uncle Sam!” Y/D/N runs over to them, knocking the air out of them with her hug. Sam playfully growls, swooping her off her feet and swinging her over his shoulder. Y/D/N huffs. She’s 13, not 5 anymore, yet he still did this every visit.

“Uncle Sam, let go,” She whines, and the man merely laughs.

“No can do, shortstop.”

“Uncle Steve, please help,” she begs. But the man shakes his head.

“Nah, I think you’re good,” he says, patting her on the head before greeting Bucky.

“How’ve you been Buck?”

“Not bad for a man watching his daughter leave.”

“It ain’t college yet, Buck.”

Bucky groans at that. “Don’t remind me.”

Y/D/N glances around everyone in the room, although she finds herself missing her Uncle Thor. Sadly, he had been called away to some business. He did send her a postcard, wishing her luck for camp.

Even if they aren’t around, movie night goes as well as Y/D/N can expect. Over the years, she had gotten used to Sam’s running commentary, Steve’s and her dad’s admonishments for him to shut up, Scott’s and Clint’s outrage, as well as sarcastic remarks all around.

It was at 11:00 pm that the party broke up since they had such a big day tomorrow. Wanda and Pietro begin to clean up. Bucky thanks them before gently picking up a sleepy Y/D/N, who snuggles further into her father’s chest.

Laying her down gently on the bed, Bucky tucks her in. “Good night, sweetheart,” he whispers. He kisses her forehead then leaves the room. Stirring a little, Y/D/N blinks awake for a brief moment. Digging under her pillow, she takes out an old photograph.

In the picture are her Uncle Thor as well as two people she had never met before. But her focus is on the woman in a white dress. A woman who shared her skin tone and her smile.

“Sweet dreams, mom.” She presses a kiss to the picture before tucking it under her pillow and falling asleep.


	5. Camp Wakanda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Y/D/N and Rebecca are off to camp!

 

The sun shines against a bright blue sky as black buses bearing the name ‘Camp Wakanda’ as they roll in. Campers spill out of the buses; backpacks stuffed to the brim with various items ranging from tennis shoes to remote drones. Various women dressed in red and orange are scrolling through tablets, calling out names and assigning them to different cabins.

In one of the black buses, Y/D/N’s face is pressed against the window, eyes widening at the sheer number of people there. Cassie and the Barton kids join her, strangely silent as they take in the scene before them.

Rebecca, in the meantime, is lugging her sizeable red suitcase. Gritting her teeth, she drags herself over to one of the many registration tables available for sign-in. “Rebecca Y/L/N, ready to sign in.” She puffs away some of the hair that starts to fall out of her ponytail.

The dark-skinned woman with cropped hair goes over her list, before informing Rebecca of her cabin assignment: Merchants. After getting the directions, she headed over to her new cabin. Not a minute passes when Y/D/N rolls up to the desk.  

“Good morning,” Y/D/N greets the lady. She glances up and frowns at what she sees.

“Didn’t you receive your cabin assignment?”

Y/D/N frowns at her words. “No, I just arrived. I’m Y/D/N Barnes.” The woman frowns, scrutinizing her as if to determine the honesty of her words. Y/D/N shifts uncomfortably. “I’m-I’m sure my name is there,” she says, clutching her bag tightly.

The woman glances at her list, and sure enough, she finds Y/D/N’s name. “Yes, you’ve been assigned to the River cabin.” She points to a cabin right beside the lake.

Y/D/N’s body sags in relief. “Thank you,” she says before heading off in the direction of the cabin. The woman watches her go, knowing that this summer was about to get interesting.

* * *

The next day, the camp had been turned into a fairground where different booths had been set up. Rebecca had joined a few of her cabinmates, who were taking turns on the ring toss. A few booths away, Cassie, Cooper, Lila, and Y/D/N crowded around a balloon popping booth, with Cooper snatching up a huge teddy bear.

“Not all of us have a dad who’s awesome at darts,” Cassie complains while Cooper shoots her a smug smile.

Lila suddenly tugs on Y/D/N’s hand. “Look! They have a shooting booth!” A bunch of campers had surrounded it, and it made Y/D/N nervous at seeing all the people over there.

Cassie nudged her best friend. “Come on! My dad says Uncle Bucky’s been bragging about your shooting at work.”

Y/D/N blushes. “He has?”

“Dad says he’ll believe it when he sees it,” Cassie adds.

“I don’t know.” She glances uneasily. Lila, sensing the older girl’s unease takes her hand.

“We’ll be there with you,” she reassures.

“Yeah,” Cooper adds, though his voice is slightly muffled by his prize.

“Y/D/N, Y/D/N, Y/D/N.” Cassie’s chant is taken up by the other two. Y/D/N, bolstered by the cheers walks toward the booth. She makes her way through the crowd, politely excusing herself until she reaches the booth.

“May I play?” she asks, turning to the girl next to her. Only to be surprised at what she sees. It’s as if she’s staring into a mirror. The other girl’s eyes widen in disbelief as well, her mouth dropping open.

A hush falls over the crowd as they watch these two doppelgangers stare each other down. The employee slams the makeshift gun down on the table, breaking the spell. Y/D/N takes the weapon, positioning herself as her dad taught her.

Her newly discovered doppelganger prepares herself as well. Both girls take a deep breath, releasing the trigger. To everyone’s surprise, both hit their respective targets. The woman behind the counter watches the two with interest before setting the targets a little farther. Both girls reload and hit them both. The last round consists of multiple targets.

“Hit as many as you can, and you win that.” She points to a big panda stuffed toy. Rebecca and Y/D/N stare at each other, daring the other to waver. When neither finds signs of backing down, they pick up their toy guns and fire. The sounds of paint splattering and hitting paper fill the air as each girl hits a target.

Becky continually cocks and shoots, determined to hit every target within sight. She stole a glance at her look-alike rival, whose eyes are dead set on her task. A bell sounds, and the girls finally set their guns down. To her surprise and dismay, Y/D/N’s paint barely outnumbered Becky’s.

“Well, it seems that we have a victor.” The woman plucks the panda, handing it to a glowing Y/D/N. She strokes the panda, smiling humbly. She turns to Rebecca. “Good game.” She manoeuvres her panda so she can hold out a hand for Rebecca to shake.

Rebecca merely regards her hand, the dismay slowly turning into anger. How dare this girl stomp all over her territory! How dare this girl triumph over her in something she worked hard to be good at! How dare she…

She shakes her head, storing the rest of that thought away. She steps closer to her opponent, whose hand falters away. “You…better watch out.” With that, she stomps off to her cabin, the crowd parting to let her through.

Y/D/N looks back at her friends, who are regarding the new girl with a mixture of dislike and caution. “Why would she be mad? You won fair and square,” Cooper says as the crowd around them disperses.

Y/D/N merely shrugs. “I don’t know.” She hefts her panda.

“Well, let’s do something else. I want to try that ring toss,” Cassie suggests. The group agree, but not before Y/D/N glances back at the girl, unbelieving that she could gain a lookalike and rival in the same day.

* * *

Y/D/N tried not to overthink the warning given to her by the other girl. She was thankful for her friends, who were always on the lookout for anything fishy. When a few days passed by without incident, their guards were let down.

And that’s when they make their first mistake. Lunchtime comes, and Y/D/N is heading over to her usual table where she usually sits with Cassie, Cooper, and Lila. She slides into her seat as usual, and the lunchtime happens with nothing out of the ordinary. And then, Y/D/N gets up. To her surprise, she doesn’t rise, instead of remaining in her seat.

She tugs herself a little harder, but still, she does not budge. She exerts more effort to remove herself, but nothing. “Y/D/N, are you alright?” Lila asks, alerting Cassie and Cooper to your predicament.

“I’m stuck!” Y/D/N whispers frantically, glancing around to make sure that no one has noticed her sticky situation. However, her eyes catch her doppelganger’s, a cruel smirk on her face. Y/D/N did not reply instead choosing to lift herself from the chair.

Her friends rush to her side, gripping her arms and trying to lift her from the table. Their joint efforts would have gone unnoticed if not for the ripping sound and all three children tumbling to the floor as their friend’s face grows warm in embarrassment. Laughter floods the cafeteria as half of her shorts have gone, leaving little to the imagination.

Cassie quickly rushes to her friend’s side, covering her back while Cooper and Lila stay at Y/D/N’s sides. Tears prick the girl’s eyes as she ducks her head. The four friends rush out as fast as they can from the cafeteria, still ringing with their peers’ jeers and laughter. They head to Y/D/N’s cabin where she changes her clothes and sits with her on the bed.

Cooper’s face turns angry as he glares in the direction of the cafeteria. “That was pretty stupid of her. Just because you’re a better shot, she does this.”

Y/D/N shakes her head. “Guys, it’s nothing.”

Cassie shakes her head. “It’s not nothing, Y/D/N. Do you know what this means? This prank means war.”

Y/D/N’s eyes widen. “No, please! I don’t want things to escalate any further! Please.”

“Oh come on, Y/D/N, we can’t just sit around and do nothing,” Cooper complains.

“Let us help,” Lila pipes up eagerly. But Y/D/N shakes her head.

“No. I’m not going to stoop to her level. If she chooses to be petty, then fine. I’m going to be the better person here.”

That resolve was tested a few days later after the glue incident. A few people snickered whenever they caught sight of Y/D/N, who holds her head high. She tucks her notebook into her little bag, stroking its spine gently as she makes her way back to her cabin. Writing could be tiring, and she craved nothing more than a shower and some rest.

She goes back to her cabin, laying out her clothes then heading for the bathroom. Enjoying the cool splashes of water running down her body, she does not hear the door open nor her duffle bag being spilt out among other things that the perpetrator is currently doing.

Rebecca finishes with her handiwork, just as she hears the shower turn off. Rebecca hightails it out of there, the screen door slamming shut. in her wake. Y/D/N ignores it, in favor of getting her clothes. However, instead of cloth, she feels saran wrap and, much to her annoyance and chagrin, her whole mattress has been saran wrapped, trapping clothes (that did not belong to her) underneath.

She smirks, thankful for her duffle bag. However, as she goes over to where it's usual hiding place, she finds it missing. Panic settling in her chest, she frantically searches the cabin. She clutches the towel, needing a sense of dignity at this moment. She grits her teeth, holding back a growl as she now has no choice but to remove the layers of plastic herself.

With surprising savagery, she rips through each layer. Plastic litters the cabin floor as she finally manages to get everything off. She hurriedly tugs the clothes on, only to find them peculiar. Her T-Shirt barely covers her midriff, and her shorts go much higher than her knees, even her thighs. Thankfully, her underwear is spared. Sadly, not her modesty. The dinner bell rings, and Y/D/N cringes. She can’t go in there, looking like this. She should stay here and get some sleep.

Unfortunately, the growl in her stomach combined with the need to find her things quick drowns out any half-baked idea she has. So, with as much dignity as she can, she walks into the mess hall. The laughter that greets does not stop ringing in her ears throughout the meal until she returned to her cabin that night. But she would not break down. She would not. At least Rebecca had been kind enough to return her belongings to her.

Then came the day that broke the camel’s back. Cassie had offered to accompany her today so that she could keep a lookout for any new pranks. Y/D/N thanks her before digging into her handbag; a new idea had entered her head, and she wanted to write it down.

Unfortunately, her notebook is not there. Y/D/N frowns. “Cassie, have you seen my notebook?”

“No. You know I’d never take it from you.” Y/D/N rifles through her bag once more, her movements growing more and more frantic as she digs through her possessions. When her notebook doesn’t show itself among the contents of her handbag, she grabs her duffle bag, thinking that it could just be among her clothes. She tipped the contents on the bed, but no notebook among them. Growing desperate, she throws her drawers open and tosses out its contents. She upends her mattress, taking Cassie along with it but she finds nothing.

“Oh no no no no no no…where is it?” she says, wringing her hands. “I can’t lose it!”

“Well, where was the last time you had it?” Cassie asks.

 “This morning. I left it here before I came to grab a bite at the mess hall.”

“Could anyone else have taken it?”

“No, my cabin mates never really seemed to care much. But that means…” As the realization hits her, her eyes narrow into slits. Stomping past Cassie, she marches over to the Merchants cabin. Clothes are one thing, and dignity is another, but nobody messes with her notebook. She slams the Merchants cabin door open, ignoring the yells and protests of its occupants, only marching towards Rebecca.

“Where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Rebecca responds coolly.

“My notebook. Where is my notebook?”

Rebecca snorts at her. “What makes you think I took it?”

Y/D/N feels herself waver, but it is gone as quickly as it came. “Who else would steal it from me? My best friends know not to touch it, my cabin mates have no use for it, and I always put it in the same place. Now,” she steps closer to her, “Where is it?”

Rebecca is impressed, and a bit scared by her lookalike. Truthfully, she had been impressed from the start when Y/D/N never reacted to her pranks. She didn’t cry or shout, just walked with her head held high. But the fact that this girl bested her, bested her at one of the few things that connected her to her dad infuriated her and kept the pranks coming.

However, seeing Y/D/N this angry, made Rebecca glad that she had forgone her original plan of defacing it. “Hold on; I have it right here.” She reaches into her shorts pocket but finds nothing there. She reaches into the other one, but it’s empty as well. She pats herself down but comes up empty-handed.

“Uh oh,” she murmurs, and this catches the attention of Y/D/N.

“Uh oh what?” she asks, her voice low and dangerous.

“It’s not here.”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT’S NOT THERE?” Y/D/N’s voice is loud enough to rattle window panes.

“I mean, I don’t have it with me! I must have dropped it off somewhere.”

“Then take me there. Now!” Y/D/N growls.

Rebecca could have said no, stayed put, and watched her rival stomp around camp, tearing up the place for her beloved notebook, but a sympathetic and guilty part of her urged her to help in the search. And search they did. They ran around camp, a feat considering how big such a place was. Rebecca led her through the different sites that she had visited that day.

They are at the last site, a clearing with a lone punching bag strung up from a branch. Y/D/N plunges her hands into a log, hoping that her notebook is there somewhere. All it does is result in squeaking mice pouring out of the wood. They rush by Rebecca, who freaks out and clings to the trunk of the tree. Her eyes squeeze shut until the squeaking passes.

Y/D/N does not comment on this, instead she lets out a frustrated cry. “We’ve looked everywhere. It’s not here!” She whirls at Rebecca. “This is all your fault!”

Rebecca does not know how to respond to that. “I—”

Y/D/N, however, does not let her continue. “Do you know how important that notebook is to me? All my ideas, my writing is on that thing! And…and you have the gall to throw it all away? I hate you!” And with that, she stomps off back to camp.

Rebecca, stunned and guilty, trudges back after her.

That night, Y/D/N tosses and turns in her bed. Everyone has their limits, and she is no exception. She can almost hear her Uncle Steve’s ‘revenge is never the answer’ lecture. Sadly, or not so in this situation, Sam, Clint, and Pietro had taught her a thing or two about pranks.

She sits up in bed, knowing that she cannot sleep easy knowing that the notebook murderer sleeps unpunished. She quietly tiptoes out of bed, pulling on her shoes as she does so. This is something that she needs to do alone. She cannot have Cassie, Cooper, or Lila involved; this is her problem.

Sneaking out of the cabin, she heads for the forest, knowing that she could grab the supplies she needs there. She even picks the lock of the supplies cabin (an action she executes with some guilt) to snag a few art supplies for her little prank.

Sneaking off to the Merchants cabin, she heads to Rebecca’s bunk, which is in the far corner of the cabin. Guilt crops up within her need for vengeance overpowers it. She finishes rigging her prank before leaving her hapless victim to sleep for one more night.


	6. The Isolation Cabin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the feud and the start of something new.

When Rebecca Y/L/N wakes up, she thinks it would be a day like any other. As she makes her way to the bathroom, she trips over something. Her mind is still drowsy, so she shrugs it off before heading to the bathroom.

The shriek of her cabin mates jolts her awake. Running out of the bathroom, she doesn’t hesitate to let out a scream herself. There are mice everywhere, their little paws making pitter patter as they sniff about their new surroundings. Her cabin mates are on the bed, backing up as far as possible to avoid touching the little beasts. Some of them had even picked up the nearest item they could find, waving at it and shouting, “Back! Back!”

Rebecca, however, could not seek the same refuge as her bed had become a nest for them as well. She feels something large and soft brush against her leg. She shrieks once more, drowning out the ones of her cabin mates because, in addition to the mice, there is one large rat that stares at her with those greedy beads of eyes.

“EW! Get away!” With a powerful kick, she sends the rat flying into her pillow where it lands with a loud flump. At that moment, one of the mice digs into her pillow. Clamped in its teeth is the precious and only picture of her father. Her fear turns into adrenaline.

“Hey, give that back!” She shouts, sprinting towards her bed amidst the chaos. However, the mouse is too quick for her, jumping off the bed and streaking for the door. However, as fast the mouse is, it is no match for the bigger Rebecca Y/L/N. She dives to the floor, snatching the picture. The mouse, unwilling to let go, tears off a corner of the photo. It streaks off, having lost the battle.

Rebecca’s hand trembles as red swims through her vision. Alright, beating her at one of the few things she had shared with her dad is one thing but exploiting her fears and ruining one of her treasures is just wrong. With anger simmering in her, she shoves the picture deep into her pocket before stomping out of the cabin.

Soon, she reaches the mess hall and slams her hands down on the table, startling Y/D/N and her friends. The mess hall falls silent.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Rebecca growls, staring down her rival. “Putting mice in my cabin?”

Cassie, Cooper, and Lila glance in confusion at Y/D/N but she is too busy confronting Rebecca that she pays them no mind. “Not as bad as glueing my butt to the seat, or stealing and switching my clothes, or losing my damn notebook!”

Rebecca scoffs. “This would not have happened in the first place if you didn’t go up against me in that rifle game. That’s my territory, not yours!”

Now it is Y/D/N’s turn to scoff. “Oh please, if you stopped acting so petty, I wouldn’t have done anything in the first place.”

“Then how about we end this here? Right here, right now?”

Y/D/N hesitates, finally registering the number of eyes on them. She did not sign up for this! Oh, why did she give in her need for revenge?

Rebecca, noticing her reluctance, taunts her. “What’s the matter? Scared?”

Then again, if she did not do anything, how long would this girl torment her? She stands up, arms wide open. “Have at it.”

Rebecca lunges at her, but Y/D/N sidesteps, and Rebecca falls to the floor. Pushing herself up, she jumps at Y/D/N again. Y/D/N lets her, but she resists, seizing Rebecca’s upper forearms. She pushes Rebecca to the floor, pinning her there by sitting on her waist. Rebecca lands a hard hit on Y/D/N’s stomach. The girl keels over, nursing the injured spot. But she recovers shortly, pushing Rebecca to the floor. Rebecca lands another shot at her stomach. And the fight goes on as blows are exchanged and injuries are acquired. The hall chants ‘fight, fight, fight!’ while Cassie, Cooper, and Lila watch on, worried about their friend and wondering if they should intervene.

The door of the hall opens, and the yells of the entire cafeteria quiet down. The girls, however, continue their wrestling match, oblivious to anyone else. However, they are wrenched apart by two people: Okoye, the head camp counsellor and Ayo, one of the senior counsellors.

“You two, to the office. Now.” Though Okoye’s voice is quiet, the two girls know not to argue with her.

Once inside the counsellor’s cabin, Okoye signals for Ayo to leave. Y/D/N shifts uncomfortably on her seat while Rebecca stubbornly stares down at the floor.

“Who would like to start explaining?” She looks from one girl to the next. Neither speaks. Okoye leans back in her seat, not taking her eyes off them for one second. Eventually, one of them would crack.

“She put mice in my cabin, ma’am,” Rebecca says, shooting a glare Y/D/N’s way. Okoye turns to Y/D/N.

“Is this true?” she asks. Y/D/N mutely nods.

“Why?”

Y/D/N mumbles, “She…she lost my notebook. And stole my clothes. And glued me to a chair.”

Okoye turns back to Rebecca, repeating the questions she had asked Y/D/N. Rebecca merely nods, before hanging her head in shame once more. 

Okoye stands up. “Since you two choose to resolve this conflict primitively, the best thing to do is to do so away from the camp.”

Y/D/N’s eyes widen, scared. “You’re not sending us home, are you?”

The corners of Okoye’s mouth tilt up in a smirk. “That would be too easy.”

The next day, the whole camp witnessed Rebecca Y/L/N and Y/D/N Barnes exit their cabins, lugging their belongings along with them towards Okoye. Cassie, Cooper, and Lila send Y/D/N reassuring and apologetic smiles. Y/D/N replies with a smile of her own. Rebecca looks away, feeling like an intruder.

“Come,” Okoye says. She leads the two girls into the woods, the whole camp watching and wondering where they are headed. Rebecca and Y/D/N stay silent throughout the entire trek, unceasing until Okoye stops in front of a cabin at the end of a flight of stairs. Pointing towards it is a sign that reads, The Jabari Cabin. 

“Both of you shall remain here until the end of camp. You may still join your fellow campers. However, you must do your activities and take your meals together. The counsellors will ensure that you do so.” Okoye then leaves the girls to their new cabin.

That night, a storm erupts. Lightning rips through the sky, illuminating a terrified Y/D/N’s face. She clutches the ring around her neck tighter, whimpering when the thunder is so loud it causes the cabin’s room to shake. On the other bunk, Rebecca tosses and turns, trying to get some sleep, but between the whimpers of her roommate and the storm going on outside, it’s impossible.

She groans, slamming her pillow and shoots up, ready to confront Y/D/N, but stops short at the sight of her face. In all their time fighting, not once had she ever seen Y/D/N cry. Never had she once seen her with a vulnerable face. If there’s one thing that Rebecca’s come to admire about her strange lookalike, it’s that she marched on, despite whatever Rebecca threw at her.

Seeing her like this, it stirred something in Rebecca. She quietly creeps over to her bed, laying a hand on Y/D/N’s shoulder. Y/D/N starts as if she’s been burned. She wipes away her tears, not wanting Rebecca to see that she’d been crying before sitting up.

“What do you want?” she asks, meeting her in the eye, even if all she wanted was to crawl back into bed.

“You’re afraid of storms,” Rebecca states bluntly.

Y/D/N is taken aback at her bluntness. “No,” she blurts out, dropping the eye contact. Thunder crashes, and she lets out a yelp. Rebecca raises a wry eyebrow at her.

“You were saying?”

Y/D/N crosses her arms, puffing her chest like her dad did when he was staring Sam or Pietro down. “Go ahead. Make fun of me.”

Rebecca laughs at her attempt to be intimidating. Y/D/N’s cheeks heat up, and she turns her head away in embarrassment. Rebecca’s laughing eventually dies down, but she sees Y/D/N has retreated into her shell once more. “Believe it or not, I wasn’t gonna do anything.”

Y/D/N peeks up at her uncertainly. After a long pause, she asks, “Why?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was out of the goodness of my heart?” Rebecca asks, her lips in a pleading pout. Y/D/N rubs her arm uncertainly. “I don’t know. You weren’t this nice to me when camp started. Why now?” she peeks shyly at her doppelganger.

“I’ve never seen you cry before. Honestly, it’s kinda weird.”

Y/D/N raises an eyebrow at this before letting out a small giggle at Rebecca’s admission. “Thanks, I think? That’s actually the first nice thing you’ve said about me.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Rebecca retorts, flashing a joking smile. Y/D/N finds herself returning the gesture. By this time, the thunder and lightning have lessened in intensity, but the rain pours hard on the roof, creating a racket that prevented the girls from falling asleep.

Knowing it will be a while before the rain lets up, Rebecca pulls out a bag of Chewy Chips Ahoy. She takes one, revelling in how quickly the cookie melts in her mouth.

“Want some?” she asks, offering the pack up to Y/D/N.

“Yeah. I’d love some.” Y/D/N takes one as well, savouring a bite. “You wouldn’t happen to have Yakult with you, would you?”

Rebecca’s mouth drops open. “No freaking way!” She pulls out a full pack of Yakult, tearing it in half and splitting it with Y/D/N. They both take a bite of their cookies before taking a swig of their drinks.

“So, where did you learn to shoot like that?” Rebecca asks. “You don’t seem like the kind to do that for fun.”

“You’re right about that.” Y/D/N takes another swig of Yakult. “My dad taught me.” A far away look enters her eye, wondering what he could be doing right now? Did he take another job? Or was he just sitting at home, probably hanging out with Steve and Sam?

“What’s he like?” Rebecca asks.

“Oh, he’s…he’s the best.” A smile involuntarily forms on his lips. “A lot of people say he looks scary, but he’s nothing like that. He always hangs out with me when he can. At least, when he’s not busy with another security job.”

“And your mom?”

Y/D/N’s face pulls into a frown. “My mom…is out of the picture.”

“What happened?”

Y/D/N peeked shyly at Rebecca, who was innocently chewing on her cookie. A part of her was still cautious about this whole thing, but seeing Rebecca’s open, earnest expression, she continued. “My parents divorced years ago. My dad barely mentions her, but Uncle Steve’s talked about her a few times. He told me that she loved to write, just like me.” Her face grows sad at the thought of her old notebook.

Rebecca looks down in guilt. “I’m…I’m sorry for stealing your notebook.” She hangs her head. “And for losing it.”

Y/D/N rubs her arms, the topic still sore. She rallies herself enough to say, “Let’s just…forget it. So, what about your family? What are they like?”

Rebecca, glad for a lighter topic tells her, “Well, I’ve got lots of uncles and aunts, but they’re not related to me. They’re all my mom’s friends. And then there’s my mom.”

“What’s she like?”

Rebecca shrugs. “Protective, like any mom can be. She’s not a huge fan of my shooting and fighting, but she doesn’t hold me back. She’s always making sure I don’t get into trouble when she isn’t writing.”

“What about your dad?”

At this question, Rebecca turns a little sad, a change from the angered but determined look that Y/D/N was accustomed to seeing. “I never knew him. Mom doesn’t talk about him. Auntie Nat’s told me a little bit about him. Said that he was a soldier and a good shot.” She nibbles on her cookie.

“Is that why you were so bothered about me winning?” Y/D/N asks. The truth of her statement causes Rebecca to look away, hating how petty she had been when she lost their little shooting showdown. Her eyes go to the window, revealing that the rain had stopped. In fact, the sky was beginning to lighten.

“Hey, look, the storm’s stopped.” She stands up, heading out the door. “Come on, we should head to the cafeteria if we want some of the good food.” Y/D/N doesn’t follow her; the wheels in her head turning as she pondered over the conversation they had shared.

Rebecca, noticing that Y/D/N isn’t following, reenters. “Are you alright?”

“I was just wondering…when’s your birthday?” Y/D/N asks.

“November 3. Why?”

“That’s…that’s my birthday too!”

Rebecca’s eyes widen in shock. “No freaking way! This…this is too much of a coincidence!”

“Well, what if it isn’t a coincidence? I mean, our parents are both divorced, we share the same birthday, not to mention we look alike! Do you know what this means?”

“I don’t know. I mean, how sure are you that we could be related in any way? I don’t even know my dad’s name!”

“What about what he looks like?” Y/D/N asks. Rebecca’s heart pounds hard, thinking of a particular picture hidden under her pillow. Y/D/N notices this change in expression.

“You know, don’t you? How?” Y/D/N presses her.

Becky thought of the picture. It is sacred to her, something she never shared with anyone, not even Peter. But for some reason, revealing it to Y/D/N wasn’t embarrassing in the slightest. After the little pieces of each other they shared and the connection that was beginning to form, it couldn’t be hard to reveal just one more thing. But before she could go there, she says, “What about you? Do you have anything of your mom?”

Y/D/N ducks her head, but she does not hesitate in saying, “I do. If you want, we can show each other.”

Becky nods, feeling a bit better. She goes to her pillow, slipping a hand under it to grab the old, torn picture beneath. Y/D/N does the same, gently cradling it against her chest before turning to face Becky.

“You ready?” Becky asks.

“Yes,” Y/D/N tells her. “We’ll do it on the count of three.”

Rebecca nods. “One…”

“Two…” Y/D/N continues.

“Three!” They shout in unison before flipping the picture. To their amazement, both had halves and not only that, they fit each other perfectly!

Becky’s eyes fall to the woman in the picture. “It’s…It’s mom.”

Y/D/N’s eyes fill with tears. “And dad.”

Both people look happy, their arms around each other as the smiling faces of their friends surrounded them. Outside, the breakfast bell rings, but neither notice, instead turning to face each other.

“So…if we have the same mom, the same dad, and the same birthday…then that must mean we’re sisters,” Becky chokes out, her own eyes becoming wet.

“More than that, Beck, we’re twins!”

With that happy thought, the two sisters embraced finally finding a piece of themselves they had no idea was missing.


	7. The Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the classic switcheroo!

The two newly found sisters lay in bed together, still stewing in the discovery of a new sister. Both are curious about each other, especially the other’s parents.

“Tell me more about mom,” Y/D/N whispers.

“She’d love you,” Beck answers honestly. “She’s a writer, and she’s read so many books I can hardly keep up. She’s currently working on one right now.”

“Does she have anyone in her life?” Y/D/N asks.

“Nah. Mom says that she’s got me, my uncles and aunts. That’s enough for her,” Rebecca confesses.

“Funny, dad feels the same way,” Y/D/N adds. 

“They sound perfect for each other,” Rebecca remarks. However, the words that escape her mouth start to register. “They sound perfect for each other!” she emphasizes, sitting up in bed.

“Yeah, you just mentioned that.” Y/D/N sits up as well.

“Don’t you get it? You want to meet mom, and I want to meet dad, right?”

“Yes.”

“So why don’t we?” Rebecca shoots her a significant look, hoping she could communicate the idea to her twin.

Y/D/N’s eyes widen. “You mean, switch places?”

“Exactly.”

“But…but how?” Y/D/N begins to panic. “Oh, I don’t know Becky. I mean, can we possibly learn everything about each other before camp’s over? And what if we’re found out? What will mom and dad say?”

“We’ll help each other out. We’ll teach each other everything. And if we’re found out, then that’s a good thing. Mom and Dad will have to meet each other again!”

Y/D/N’s panic begins to recede as the idea of her parents meeting each other again enters her mind. It is a lovely picture: her parents rediscovering their feelings for each other, meeting her mother, and gaining a complete family in the process. “Well, if you’re positive…”

“Of course, I am. We can do this.”

Y/D/N ponders over Becky’s suggestion before nodding. “However, we can’t do this alone. We need people who are going to keep us in check if this plan is going to work. It’ll be good to have someone to help us out of any binds we find ourselves in.

“Do you have anyone who’ll be willing to go along with this plan?”

Rebecca thinks this over before answering, “Peter. He’s Uncle Tony’s son and my best friend. He can help you out. What about you?”

“Cooper, Lila, and Cassie. They’d definitely help.”

“But don’t they hate me?”

Y/D/N shakes her head. “As long as you apologize. Plus, I’ll be there to smooth things over.”

Rebecca nods. A smile grows on her face, and she begins to squirm with anticipation. “I can’t believe this! We’re going to get our parents back together!”

Y/D/N chuckles, a little excited herself. “Well, we’d better get some sleep if we’re going to do this.”

And with that, the sisters lay back down, visions of a happy family dancing through their head as they slumber.

At breakfast time the next day, the twins head into the mess hall, their eyes searching for Y/D/N’s friends. Due to Okoye’s punishment, they couldn’t separate from the other. However, that didn’t mean having to isolate themselves from the rest of the world.

Trays clatter on the table, which rouses Cooper, Lila, and Cassie. To their shock, they see their best friend and her lookalike tormentor standing before them, with determined looks on their faces.

“We need your help,” Rebecca tells them.

Cassie glares at her, no doubt the memories of the torture Y/D/N endured at her hands still fresh in her mind. “Why would we?”

“Because she’s my sister,” Y/D/N says, speaking up for the first time since they had arrived.

“What?!” all three of them shriek, causing their seated neighbors to shoot them suspicious looks. Y/D/N hurriedly shushes them as Rebecca clamps a hand over Cooper’s and Cassie’s mouths. The latter two glare at her.

Rebecca sighs. “Look, I know I was a jerk to you guys. To Y/D/N. But we need all the help we can get on this.” Rebecca grimaces but continues. “Can we call a truce, at least for her sake?” She meets her twin’s gaze, who gives her a grateful smile in return.

Rebecca slowly removes her hands from their mouths. Cassie says, “Fine.” Cooper merely nods while Lila answers, “Okay.”

“What’s the first step?” Cassie asks. With that, the five children launch into a plan, occupying themselves until the bell rung, signalling the end of lunch.

Over the next few weeks, Rebecca and Y/D/N set out to learn what they can about each other. First, they started with learning about their respective families. Y/D/N plopped an inch-thick manifesto on Rebecca’s bed, startling the poor girl. Her eyes widened. “Jeez, Y/D/N, what is all this?”

“This is everything I could remember about Dad. This should help you get to know him better. If you have any questions, you can ask my friends or me.”

“How did you have time to write all this? Shouldn’t your hand be cramping right about now?”

Y/D/N shrugs. “I’ve had practice.”

Rebecca moved the manifesto aside only for Y/D/N to slam two more down on the bed. “The story of my life thus far—” Rebecca lays a hand on one, “—and everything I could get on my family. Profiles and bits and pieces I know included.”

“You could’ve just made a diagram,” Rebecca lightly complains before starting on her research.

Next, they taught each other their hobbies. A few days later, Rebecca drags Y/D/N to the clearing with the punching bag. She gives the log a wide berth, wishing to avoid another mice attack.

“Beck, I already know how to box. Dad and Uncle Steve made sure I knew this stuff.” Y/D/N complains, despite her wrapping her hands in tape.

“Yeah, but you haven’t been doing it as long as I have. You have to look like you’ve done it for the last 15 years.”

Y/D/N eyes the bag with apprehension. “Well, as long as it’s the only thing I need to learn.” She takes her stance and begins to box.

“Hate to break it to you, sis, but there’s still more.”

“Oh, like what?” Y/D/N asks, eyes still on the punching bag.

“Dancing.”

“WHAT?!” She squawks, missing the bag and punching Rebecca in the face instead.

Her twin yells at the blow, falling to the ground. Y/D/N kneels to the ground. “Oh, Beck, I’m so sorry.”

Rebecca rubs her eye. “Keep punching like that, and you’ll have everyone fooled in no time.”

Then, they had to familiarize themselves with each other’s habits and quirks. A week after the plan was first hatched, the sisters are making their beds in the other’s style. Y/D/N cringes as she wrinkles her bedsheets and throws clothes here and there. Rebecca grunts with effort as she tried to get her bed to be bounce-a-quarter neat.

“I just had to get a neat freak for a twin,” Rebecca mutters, as she pulls the corners down.

Y/D/N shudders. “Is all this mess really necessary?”

“You want this plan to go off without a hitch, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then suck it and do it.” Y/D/N sighs resignedly at her sister’s answer before tossing a few more things on the bed.

Soon, the weeks fly by, and the end of camp dawns bright and clear. Much like the beginning, Camp Wakanda is flooded with campers, all of them saying goodbye to the other with promises to keep in touch with one another.

Cassie squeezes Y/D/N tight. “I’m going to miss you,” she whispers.

“Me too. It’s not going to be the same without you there.” Y/D/N releases her.

“Make sure you keep in touch. Don’t forget about us,” Cassie reminds her. Y/D/N feels a little pang of guilt. While she had been getting to know her new sister, she realized that she had been neglecting her best friends. They had been with her far longer than Rebecca had been. That thought prompts her to promise, “I won’t. I’ll make sure that you guys are updated on the plans as well.”

Cooper hugs her as well. “Take care.”

“You too.”

Lila glomps Y/D/N. “I don’t want you to go,” she whispers.

Y/D/N ruffles her hair. “Hang in there. If things go well, I’ll be back before you know it.”

As soon as Lila releases her, Rebecca approaches her twin. Rocking back and forth, she says, “Well, this is it.”

Y/D/N nods. “Yeah. Now, Beck, don’t forget: Wanda and Pietro are picking you up from the airport. Make sure to hang onto the backseat; Pietro can be a reckless driver. Also, expect everyone to be there, so you’ve really got to step up. Also, bring up Mom when you can, okay? And keep me updated. You’ve got my number right? And there’s also my email address, and just message—”

Rebecca laid hands on her twin’s shoulders. “Y/D/N, breathe. Okay, we’ve been preparing for this for weeks. Alright, we’ve got this. You can do this.”

Y/D/N nods. Her gaze slides to her friends, who give her reassuring thumbs up and smiles. “Take care of them for me.”

Rebecca promises, “I will.” She then reaches into her backpack, rummaging around before she produces a package. “Here. I figured I owe you.”

Frowning in confusion, Y/D/N unwraps it to reveal a black notebook, its pages freshly blank. Tears pour into her eyes, and she throws her arms around. “Oh Beck, thank you! This is so sweet.”

Rebecca’s eyes begin to mist as she embraces her sister, but she clears her throat and says, “It’s no big deal. I just figured you needed a new one.”

“Thank you, regardless.”

Soon, they hear the honk of the bus. The twins release each other. “Give dad my love,” Y/D/N tells her.

“Give mom mine too.” Rebecca hugs her one last time before joining the Bartons and Cassie for the bus ride. On the bus, Lila says, “That was really nice. What you did.”

Rebecca blinks in surprise. “Uh, thanks.” Cooper nods, giving her a small smile. Cassie does the same.

The bus rolls off the hill and Y/D/N watches it go past the gate and off into the distance until it disappears. She then grabs her luggage, trudging to the car that would take her to the airport.

 


	8. The Reunion(s)

Rebecca found herself fiddling with her ring, a nervous habit. She and Y/D/N had decided to keep their own rings; it would be nice to have a little familiarity amongst all of this.

She lurches in her seat as the plane lands, fingers gripping the seat tightly. She takes a deep breath, readying for herself from what would come. When the plane had landed, she, the Bartons, and Cassie climb out of their seats, grabbing their luggage before searching for Wanda and Pietro.

Sure enough, out of the corner of their eyes, there is a flash of platinum blonde hair, followed by Lila’s squeal as Pietro lifts her in the air. “Hello, munchkin,” he greets her.

“Hi, Piet! Where’s Wanda?” She asks.

“Boo,” a soft voice whispers in Rebecca’s ear and she yelps, swinging a fist out. Wanda dodges, startled at Rebecca’s reaction.

“Whoa, Y/D/N, it’s just me.” Out of the corner of her eye, Cooper shoots a frantic look her way. Rebecca breathes, adopting a soft tone, as she says, “Sorry, camp’s made me a little jumpy.”

“Come on, let’s grab our luggage,” Cassie chimes. Rebecca mouths a thank you to her as the group head for the luggage carousel. Once they had gotten that out of the way, they all piled into the car with Pietro taking the wheel.

Y/D/N was right; Pietro was a reckless driver. However, she’s having fun and so are Lila and Cassie. Cooper and Wanda, however, look like they’re going to puke. As much as Rebecca wants to join in Cassie and Lila’s whoops, she clung on to the car door, hoping her face des betray any excitement. Thankfully, her nerves about meeting her dad for the first time occupy her mind.

Soon, the group stopped in front of a brownstone. The doors opened, and the passengers stumble, trying to find their land legs after that harrowing car ride. Wanda threw a glare at her brother who merely unloads the luggage.

The group trudge up the steps, arriving at a door with a brass number 10. The door opens to reveal a completely dark space. A light switch flicks on, and a shout of ‘Surprise’ startles the newly arrived campers.

“Welcome home, guys,” Scott says, the first to reach the group as he engulfs his daughter in a hug. Laura emerges from the counter, doing the same with her two children. Nathaniel, who is carried by Laura, babbles in happiness at seeing his two siblings once more.

The ground is swept away from Rebecca’s feet as she finds herself hanging upside down. Panic floods her system before she remembers what Y/D/N told her. “Uncle Sam, are you ever going to stop?”

The man in question chuckles, carrying her further into the room. “I think we both know the answer to that, Y/D/N.”

“Well, I can’t greet Dad like this. I don’t like the first thing he sees to be his daughter hanging by her ankles with all the blood rushing to her head.”

The room goes unnaturally quiet at her statement. Sam sets her down on the counter, but Rebecca does not notice, only asking, “Where is Dad, anyway?” she searches the room for him, but doesn’t find the man that she had been hoping to see her whole life.

Scott and Sam exchange uneasy glances. Laura sets Nathaniel down before telling Rebecca, “I’m sorry, Y/D/N. Your dad and Clint got called away on a security job.” She addresses Cooper and Lila as well.

“They tried to get out of it, but it was urgent.” Air left Rebecca’s lungs at her statement. The room began to spin; to steady herself, she kept her knuckles tight on the counter. Unable to take the pitying looks of everyone around her, she leaps out of her seat. She heads for Y/D/N’s room where she slams the door closed, uncaring of how loud the sound is.

The man she had waited her whole life to meet, and he isn’t even there to greet her. She pummels at her pillow, tears flowing from her eyes. A faraway corner of her mind tells her to stop acting this way, but she does not listen. Her dad isn’t here; she should allow herself to be hurt.

Insistent knocks sound on her door, but she ignores them all. She buries her face in the pillows, wanting to be left alone. Left alone in a dark room and a grumbling stomach, she falls asleep.

She is awakened again in the middle of the night by a gentle knocking on her door. “Go away,” she answered, but remembering that she was supposed to be Y/D/N and not Rebecca, she added, “Please.”

“Y/D/N, it’s Uncle Steve. Sam told me you haven’t even had dinner yet. Please open the door.”

Rebecca wanted to protest, but the persistent grumbling in her stomach silenced any protests she had. She trudged towards the door, opening it to reveal Y/D/N’s, and apparently her, tall blonde godfather who carried two slices of pizza and a cup of water in his hand.

“May I come in?” he asks politely.

“Sure.” She sits down on her bed and Steve, laying aside the food and drink, pulls up a chair to sit beside her.

“Y/D/N, I know that you miss your dad, but everyone else turned up to welcome you home. The least you could’ve done is stay a while before bolting out of there.”

Rebecca shakes her head. “I get it, Uncle Steve. It’s just…this was my first time seeing Dad.” Realizing what she just said, she hurriedly tacked on, “I mean, in such a long time. I was really hoping that he’d be there when I came home.”

“Y/D/N, your dad wanted to be here. You know that he loves you over everything.”

“It sure doesn’t feel that way,” Rebecca mutters, pulling her legs close to her, glaring murderously at the bedspread. Footsteps are heard outside as Rebecca continues, “I’m sorry. I know you’re trying to make me feel better, Uncle Steve, but I wish I could hear those words from Dad himself.”

“Why didn’t you just say so?” a deep voice rumbles from the doorway. Rebecca’s bloodshot eyes widen in disbelief as Steve breaks into a grin. Rebecca pushes herself off the bed, clutching her ring as she looks at the tall, dark, blue-eyed man who stands there, dressed in black. A man who looked just like the one in the picture she had carried around ever since she was little.

“Dad?” Her voice barely above a whisper.

“Who else would it be?”

Without hesitation, Rebecca dashes herself into her father’s arms, tears streaming down her face. “Dad! Finally!”

Bucky picks her up, twirling her around as he presses kisses to her forehead. “Oh, sweetheart, I didn’t know you missed me that much,” he gently teases her.

“If only you knew how much, Dad,” Rebecca whispers. Of all the times she had imagined meeting her dad over the years, she never pictured it to be like this. But here, amid her twin’s belongings, happily crying in her father’s arms, she wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.

A few hours ago, across the country, a nervous Y/D/N exits the plane. She takes a deep breath, toying with her ring. She descends the plane, eyes searching the crowd for a familiar face.

“Rebecca!” A voice calls, and she turns to see a boy with brown eyes, dark brown hair, and a kind smile approach her.

“Peter,” she exclaims excitedly.

Peter swoops her up into a hug, whispering to her, “Becky told me everything. Don’t worry.” A huge weight lifted off her shoulders, glad that someone, at least, was on her side.

“Hey, I drove you here! Don’t I at least deserve a hug?” Y/D/N releases Peter to see Rebecca’s, and her, godfather, arms spread wide in a suit and sunglasses. She chuckles, burying herself in his arms, only for him to give her a nougie.

“Ow, Uncle Tony!” She shrieks, shoving him to no avail.

“Tony, don’t hog our goddaughter,” says a feminine voice. Tony releases Becky, stepping aside to reveal her godmother, Aunt Natasha.

“Hey, Aunt Natasha,” Y/D/N greets her, embracing her.

“Hi honey, let me look at you,” Natasha says, gently releasing Y/D/N to look her over. Y/D/N does her best not to squirm, not wanting to give the game away so easily.

If Natasha noticed anything, Y/D/N does not know as Natasha slings an arm around her shoulders and pulls her along, calling to Tony and Peter. “Come on boys. It’s time we get our little girl home.”

After grabbing her luggage, the four of them headed to the car. When they left the airport, Natasha asks, “So, Y/D/N, how was camp?”

“Oh, it was really awesome!”

“Awesome enough that we barely heard from you?” Tony asks, meeting her eyes in the rearview mirror.

Y/D/N blushes. “Well, I met this new girl at camp. We got really close, almost like sisters.”

“Really?” This time it was Natasha that answered. “What did you do?”

“Well, I taught her how to box and dance. She’s also awesome at shooting,” Y/D/N tells her. The ride continues as Y/D/N talks about Rebecca’s time in camp. She catches Natasha watching her a few times in the mirror as she does so.

Soon, they stop in front of a modest house near the beach. Y/D/N’s voice fades as she takes the house in. This was it — everything weeks of planning and years of anticipating led to this moment.

“You going to move any time soon?” Tony asks, and that shakes her out of her thoughts. Climbing out of the car, she grabs her luggage, opening the door to reveal a red foyer, bookshelves taking up parts of the wall. She deposits her bags in the corner, eager to explore more of the house.

Y/D/N then moves off into the dining room, where a giant ‘WELCOME HOME REBECCA’ is tacked up for all to see.

“And the happy camper returns,” a voice says. Y/D/N spins around to see Rhodey.

“Hi Uncle Rhodey,” she greets him, immediately hugging him.

“Wow, you’ve grown.” He squeezes her arms good-naturedly. He then steps out of her embrace, holding up his hands.

“Come on. Show me what you’ve got.”

“You sure?” she asks hesitantly.

“Since when are you reluctant to show off? Come on.”

Y/D/N glances at Rhodey once more before raising her fists and delivering a few jabs. Rhodey shakes her head. “Not your best. Come on, Rebecca, it’s okay. Don’t hold back.”

“Uncle Rhodey!” a voice interrupts, and both turn to see Peter in the hallway. “It’s lunchtime!”

“Be right there, Pete. Welcome home, Becky.” He ruffles her hair before heading to the dining room. Peter smiles at Y/D/N before leaving her to her devices. She exits the dining room, taking some time to admire the books in the foyer. The faint voices of her family carry over to her, but she strains her ears for one particular sound.  

“Rebecca?” Someone calls; one that sets Y/D/N’s heart racing. Turning slowly, she sees at the top of the stairs, a woman with her skin tone and smile. “Becky?”

“M-mom?” She stammers, unable to believe her voice.

“You’re back!” You exclaim. Rebecca does not hesitate; she races towards you as you descend the stairs, and the two of you meet halfway, embracing each other. You pick her up slightly.

“Ooh, you’re getting big. I can hardly carry you anymore.” You set your daughter down, taking the time to look her over.

Y/D/N does the same with you; you looked older than your picture counterpart but just as beautiful. You were here in front of her eyes, hugging her with all the warmth she could have ever wanted. She began to cry.

“Oh, honey, are you okay? What’s wrong?” You gently wipe your daughter’s tears.

“I just…I just missed you so much, Mom,” she admits croakily.

You draw her back in your arms. “I thought you wanted to get away from me,” you gently joke.

“No way, mom. I never did,” Y/D/N replies in earnest. While Y/D/N was aware that she still had a plan to execute and two people to reunite, she was content to rest in your arms, happy that a dream had finally come true.


	9. The Bonding

**Chapter 9: The Bonding**

The next day, Rebecca emerges from her room to find everyone assembled there. Cassie is the first one to notice her. “Are you okay?” she asks. All eyes turn on her.

Rebecca blushes at the attention, but says, “I’m sorry for running off like that. I know you guys worked really hard to surprise me.” Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Uncle Steve give an approving nod. Lila is the first one to approach and embrace her. The rest of the room follows suit until Rebecca is smushed in a giant group hug.

Once they broke up, Rebecca suggests, “Movie night?” With a resounding cheer, they all gathered in front of the screen. Rebecca chose the movie, choosing to go with an old Lindsay Lohan flick. She hopped in between her dad and Uncle Steve, laying her head on her father’s prosthetic arm. Bucky stiffens at first but eventually lets her stay there.

Movie night ends, and everyone departs, leaving Rebecca and her dad to clean up the kitchen. Rebecca catches him up on what happened at camp, leaving out her sister and their plan. After that, they depart to their bedrooms, with Rebecca asking Bucky, “Can you tuck me in?”

Bucky raises an eyebrow. “I haven’t tucked you in since you were ten. Why bring it back?”

Rebecca shrugs. “I really, really missed you.”

Bucky shakes his head but complies. “If you’re this clingy after camp, maybe I should just keep you here at home.”

Rebecca climbs into bed, with Bucky pulling up the bedcovers. He bends down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, Y/D/N.”

It felt like a light had switched on inside Rebecca, and her heart glowed. “Good night, dad.” With that, she snuggles into her bed as Bucky vacates the room, shutting the light as he does so.

Hours later, Rebecca is woken up by noises coming from the other room. At first, she wonders if it’s just her imagination, but the sounds grow louder. She darts out of her bed, directing herself towards the room, where she finds her father tossing and turning on the bed. Bucky whimpers, fisting his blankets so hard. He gasps, letting out a shout, before bolting awake in bed.

“Dad?” Rebecca cautiously asks. It is only then that Bucky notices his daughter in the room.

“Sweetheart, what are you doing here?”

“I heard noises coming from the other room. I went to investigate.” Rebecca draws close, sitting in front of him. “Dad, what’s going on? Are you okay?” She asks.

“It’s fine, Y/D/N, go back to sleep.” He runs his hand through his hair.

Rebecca turns around, ready to leave. However, out of the corner of her eye, she sees her dad sit on one side of the bed, clearly in distress. Rebecca thought back to Y/D/N’s notes and how it mentioned her father being a former military man. Y/D/N mentioned the possibility of PTSD, but never that their Dad still had that condition.

“Can I stay with you?” She asks, approaching him once more.

Bucky’s head snaps up. “What?”

“Can I stay with you?” Rebecca repeats, standing her ground.

Bucky shakes his head. “I don’t think I make a good sleeping companion.”

Rebecca shrugs. “Then we’ll stay up. I don’t mind.” To prove her point, she jumps into bed, looking at her dad expectedly.

“Sweetheart, I think you should go back to bed. And since when are you so eager to stay with me?”

“Because you’re scared,” Rebecca states bluntly. “You should have someone to stay.”

“You don’t have to, Y/D/N. I haven’t had anyone stay here with me since…” Bucky’s voice trails off.

“Since Mom?” Rebecca supplies. Bucky stiffens but does not respond to her.

“Dad,” Rebecca prods, “would you tell me about her? Please.” At least, it would get his mind off his nightmare.

Bucky shakes his head. “I don’t think you’d want to hear the story. It’s not exactly happily ever after.”

However, Rebecca remains, staring up with those blue eyes that reflected his own so well. In the past, Bucky never let Y/D/N in, especially when he had a nightmare. When he started to regain control of his life, he let her in bit by bit, but he never confided in her about her Mom or her twin sister.

“I’m not leaving. I promise Dad. I won’t.” To prove her point, she lays herself down beside him, silently imploring him to tell the story.

Bucky sighs resignedly, laying himself beside her. “Okay. Well, your mom, Uncle Steve, and I grew up together. She was one of my best friends. When we grew older, I joined the Army. Around that time, I came to realize that your mother wasn’t just my best friend. She is-was the woman I loved.”

“Then…why did you guys split?” Rebecca asked. “If you loved her so much?”

Bucky gestured to his prosthetic arm. “I was in an accident. I was honorably discharged, so I returned home. Your mom was pregnant with you.” _And Y/D/N,_ Rebecca mentally tacked on.

Bucky runs a hand through his hair again. “When I came home…I was…” He hesitates. “I was…angry. I had only one arm. I couldn’t hold you. Your mom was out most of the day. I…” He hangs his head in shame. “I could barely talk to her, and I just couldn’t bring myself to do so.

“When you were born, that was the one bright spot before it all crumbled to pieces. After that, I stayed, and your mom left.”

“Did you go after her?”

Bucky sighs, playing with the sheets. “I don’t think she wanted me to.”

As for Y/D/N, she is currently in the middle of a welcome home party. She does her best to enjoy herself, not used to the boisterous, high energy that their small yet intimate family managed to create.

Raucous laughter sounds all around the table, bringing her back to her current situation. Judging by the red of Peter’s cheeks, it was probably something at the expense of Becky’s best friend.

“So, Becky, you didn’t tell me what happened in camp yet. Did you have fun? How was it?” You question her, seated beside her. All eyes on the table are now on her. She tries not to shrink back from the attention, but she gathers her courage and says, “It was a lot of fun, Mom. I actually mentioned some of it to Aunt Natasha and Uncle Tony on the way home.”

“She actually told us that she'd made a new friend. Almost like a sister,” Natasha slips in casually, sipping her wine as she looks at you. You raise an eyebrow at Natasha’s behavior, but address your daughter once more.

“Really? What did you two talk about?” You ask, casually eating your friend.

“Oh, a lot of things.” Y/D/N bites into her food. “Favorite food, hobbies, being raised by a single parent.” She slips in enough emphasis to make you freeze. You set your glass down.

“And, I was wondering about what it would be like…if Dad was here,” Y/D/N says, meeting your eyes as she says this.

You hesitate, playing with your fork. “Honey, why do you want to know more about your dad?”

“Mom, you barely talk about him. I’m 13. You—” Y/D/N takes a deep breath before continuing, “—you can’t keep me from not knowing him.”

“Becky, there’s a reason I don’t talk about your dad. And besides, you don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“Why?”

The doorbell rings. Vision stands up, addressing you. “I was unaware that we were to have some more guests.” He opens it and a man’s voice floats through.

“Ah, Vis, can you take care of that? Thanks.” The mystery man strides in and there is a shift in the mood of the room. Y/D/N’s gaze slides towards a man in a leather jacket, white shirt and dark jeans who slides up to you to plant a kiss on your lips.

Y/D/N’s eyes shift around, noting the various disgusted reactions. Tony mimes barfing into his plate; Pepper and Rhodey elbow him to behave. Natasha glares at the stranger.

“Becky, this is Brock Rumlow. He’s my boyfriend,” you tell her.

“WHAT?!”


End file.
